New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-08

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: II there be any truth in the parable
Of the talents, it will be hard for the people
of our country and our world to forgive
President Wilson. He has had the greatest
opportunity ever offered to n man in history;
he has buried his talents to the immeasur-
able damage of civilization
The people have been misled as TO Mr..
Wilson because they have listened to him
and taken his words at their face value. I'm
less they had believed in the sincerity of
his expressions of high ideals and noble
sentiments am convinced that his election
would have been impossible. But when the
time came to take action which should carry
these high ideals into effect, Mr. Wilson,
either through timidty or lack OF vision, or,
even more regrettably, through a desire for
political advantage has utterly failed his own
people and the people of the world.
The following quotations are from an ad-
dress by Mr.. Wilson on September 80, 1915.
They accord with many other expressions Of
his, made both before and since his election:
"For my own part, would not be proud
of the extraordinary physical development
Of this country, of its extraordinary deve op-
ment in material wealth and financial power,
did not believe that the people of the United
States wished all of this power devoted to
ideal ends"
81 hope that we shall never forget that we
created this nation, not TO serve ourselves,
but to serve mankind"
"The United States was founded, not to
provide free homes, but to assert human
rights"
81 hope shall catch from the spirit Of this
occasion a new conservation to the high
duties Of American citizenship"
These are noble words, and no true Ameri-
can could ask more than that the govern
ment of his country should carry into effect
this spirit OF service. Had Mr.. Wilson acted
in accordance with them Americans to-day
would be proud Of their citizenship. Instead
Of pride we can feel but shame when we
meet with a citizen of one of the noble ma
tons. Our country to-day is regarded by
foreign nations merely with contempt; by
England and France with a plying contempt
for our sordidness and lack of ideals, by
Germany with sneering contempt for our
cOWar0lCe anu Willingness U suDiHll " III
suit.
| assume that am addressing the intelli-
gent majority Of our people who have already
made up their minds as 10 the rights of tn
var No man with any power of analysis
can fail to place on Germany the response
biity for the war which she willed, as Har-
den Justly says No man with any humanity
can fail to appreciate the barbarity of tn /,
l.. kaa nj uaA NJ on
with any vision can fail to recognize that
the purpose Of Germany is an overlordship
of the world. No American with any under
standing can fail to know that German vic
tory means war with US at no distant date.
Mr. Wilson must be judged by his conduc.
of American affairs in relation TO the great
war. His failure to protect American lives
and honor in Mexico, his use Of his Office to
advance political ends, the grotesqueness Of
his Cabinet-these are nothing in comparison
I. his course in the great opportunity.
When the war broke out the American
people were benumbed and overwhelmed
and awaited only the inspired voice of the
President TO direct them worthily. Party
interests were forgotten; We were one people,
anxious mot TO serve ourselves, but TO serve
mankind" And all the other nations of the
world not involved in the conflict looked to
the United States, the greatest among them.
for guidance in the course which they should
pursue, for a leadership. Had Mr.. Wilson
acted nobly he could have led into the SER
vice Of mankind not only his own people,
VI half OF all the people of the world.
Mr.. Wilson's first act WAS TO proclaim to
US that we should be neutral in deed and
thought, or, in other words, that we should
he fools or towards. A nobler President,
Monroe. called on US not to be neutral In