New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-12-02
America at Versailles, 1783-19l7

America at Versailles, 17S3-lSl7
The Allied conferences which meet in
Paris will subsequently gather at Yer
sailles, in the very place where Bismarck
erected the present German Empire.
There is meaning ! pat should not be over
looked in this fact. After a little less than
half a century the representatives OF all
the Western nations are now gathered in
the same place to make plans for the pro-
lection of the world. from this German En-
pire, born at Versailles. The nations come
to Versailles sword IN hand because there
is no other way. They come to talk war,
not peace, because there is no other course
omen. They come resolved TO fight to the
end. because to stop short of the end is
to escape one death to endure another, to
escape one defeat to fall to another and
more complete disaster.
But for Americans there is another
episode at Versailles that is even more
worthy Of recall. There and in Paris in
1888 was signed the treaty of peace which
recognized the independence Of the United
States. It was but the formal recognition
Of the fact; the fact had begun at licking
ton and established itself at Yorktown; but
now. a century and third later, this
America returns to Europe, and an ancient
ally and a former foe are Joined with us
as allies in the struggle for precisely the
same idea and the same ideals that were
fought for in the war that was defnitively
ended by a scrap of paper signed at Yer
sailles.
Half a century ago our fathers and
rrandfathers fought bitter war to the
end, war lasting four years and fought
wholly on American soil. All the war
WEAKNESS that to-day assails those who
have struggled for long in Europe assailed
them. The same voices Of disloyalty, the
same whispers of sedition, the same full
throated cowardice, the same empty but
honest Utopian follies sounded in their
ears. Human nature was weak then as
it is always weak, but to the eternal glory
of our country and to its lasting salvation
the masses and the millions of Americans
saw the truth and did not fail themselves
or us. We cannot do less now.
Every whisper of doubt of hesitation,
every suggestion of compromise and Of
accommodation will be carried to Germany
by a thousand spies. Every word spoken
lightly or disloyally now will be used in
Germany hereafter to prove that the de-
cision that will be reached at Versailles
will not be the decision of America. 1t is
for us, all Of US at home, TO silence such
lies and by our own determination, by our
own firmness, to demonstrate that those
who speak at Versailles for war to vic
tory, for a fight until there is a decision,
speak for the United States, for a united
and loyal nation, for people who in 1917
as in 1866 are resolved TO see to its bitter
end a struggle for human liberty and for
national and international unity
A hundred and thirty-four years ago
America spoke at Versailles. Then she
spoke for her own independence. To-day,
in the same place, she is to speak again
for liberty-but not alone for American
liberty-not alone for independence in the
Western Hemisphere. She is TO speak for
freedom in the woodland now, as then,
she is to speak as a nation which has
fought and is prepared to fight again for
that cause. Assuredly if mems spirits
linger where formerly their bodies dwelt,
Franklin will accompany House in Paris
to-day.