The Washington herald., 1918-07-05
The Speech.

II The new world order which President Wilson
outlined yesterday at Mount Vernon is more than
abstraction an ideal-despite the conventional
eynieism of the reapolitkers about all projects of
this type.
2 What is it that is abroad in the world today?
What mighty ferment has the war brought to a
head? The featherheads who think that laissez
faire and imperialist motives to dominate after
the war. as they did before. need some sharp. rude
shock to teach them that democracy be as hard
taskmaster and as ruthless a destroyer as any
Goth Vandal if the forces of reaction try to
check or divert her coming triumph
. 1t is exactly this note which President Wilson
Is sounding The blood of the associated peoples
of the world" he indicates is not being spilled for
the preservation of governments or of systems
which essentially opposed the recognition of
true democracy and committed to nationalist pelf
ard privilege And yet it is an open secret that
,reactionaries throughout the world are continually
plotting to keep the peoples in bondage in much
the fashion after the war as they were before
August, 1914, and that they would not scorn an in
conclusive, premature peace if they foresaw that
the continuance of the meant, not alone the
downfall Of Prussianism, but world revolution.
= The President stands, as before, firm and i'm
movable rock against reactionism wherever it
nanifests itself-in Germany, in Austria-Hungary
Britain, France the United States. His battle
is still ahead of him, and he knows it. He is
powerful, unyielding and supreme; there is not
Tory in America Europe who does not see that
he beat them in an open fight, but they are
planning through intrigue, manipulation and the
interplay of local jeaousies and rivaries offset
much of his program.
To touch upon the implications of the program
of a world state, such as the President now pro-
claims must come to the world before peace is de-
clared, would require, not columns but pages. Rus
sa will interpret it synonymous with Bolshe-
vism; Socialists everywhere will call it world So
eialism liberals paci6ss, democrats in all nations
will regard it decalogue of internationalism,
and the hope of the future.
! 1t is true that the President nowhere touches
upon the form Of government which the different
nations must have, the degree of democracy
which they achieve. But the establishment of
democratic rule in all nations is implied in each of
the four articles which he designates as the
tials OF peace.
Such phrases as these make the Presidents i'm
piled meaning clear: "The destruction of every
bitrary power anywhere. . > The combined power
OF free nations. = What seek is the reign
Of law, based upon the consent of the governed"
And finally, this blast at imperialism, American
we'll European:
These great ends cannot be achieved by de-
bs ting and seeking to reconcile what statesmen may
wsh with their projects for balances OF power and
OF national opportunity. They be realized only
BY the determination of what the thinking people
of the world desire, with their longing and hope
for social freedom and opportunity"
Every American should pause and ponder
the great program to which the President has COM
mitted this nation. We are fighting not for a
greater America. We are fighting, in a large sense,
not for America at ALL We renounce whatever ma
terial advantage the will bring to us-and it is
not to be doubted that the war will leave the
United States indisputably the most powerful
ton in the world
We fighting for international ideal-for
the creation of world state which will leave
America bound by its DEGREES much any
other nation. We are surrendering strategic po-
sition in the world of the highest vaue-a position
which would enable to become the economic
and financial masters of the world. Before the
war draws to a close, probably will be the
greatest military power in the world, and the
greatest of merchant fleets being fashioned
under the leadership of Charles NJ. Schwab, means
that will have the opportunity of outstrpping
Great Britain in the markets of the world. In
finances, in manufactures, in resources in accumu-
lated wealth and in sheer power of organization
nation will be in position to dispute primacy with
US.
To exploit this great power of ours to the full
est extent after the is the secret the devouring
ambition of every American imperialist But VIII
sonism and democracy and internationalism say
mo" The fight is on. The President is making
his leadership more commanding every day. But
many traps and pitfalls still stand in his way.
God grant that he winsl