Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-04
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The Peace Commission.

Omaha, Dec. ITO the Editor of
The Bee: No fair minded citizen
can but view with regret the parti-
san action of the president in his
choice or delegates TO the Versailles
peace convention.
With a single exception, the dele
gates are practically unknown as
statesmen and diplomats and have
never been heard of as leaders or in
the shaping of public opinion. The
exception is Secretary Lansing, who
is recognized as having no superior
and but few equals as a student Of
international law, with its practical
application by years of experience
in the State department. and who
mas mad entire charge of all dip!o-
matte correspondence since the be-
ginning of the war.
But as to the other members of
the commission, perhaps the less
said the better. 'kunnel" House.
totally devoid Of experience in
craftsmanship or diplomacy, I'M
known and unheard Of until he be-
came the political valet of the pres
ident; never chosen by the people
for any important position Of trust
all history will fail to produce a par
allel case in which such as he was
chosen for such a duty.
Henry White. mentioned as once
ambassador to France. and also to
Italy. which description was neces-
sary that some other Henry White"
might not be given the ticket. 1t is
claimed that Henry is or was once,
a republican because he was ap-
pointed by President Mckinley We
have had our Benjamin Franklin,
our James Russell Lowell, our An
drew ID. White and our James w.
Gerard and many other brilliant
lights in our diplomatic corps. but
whoever heard of Henry! But, as
he has the entry to Society" at the
French capital and knows the differ
ence between the f1unkies and the
host, he will be very acceptable to
the lady members who accompany the
commission.
To complete the list Is an ossified
army officer who reached his senior
ity by way Of the armchair brigade,
who seems to have been chosen at
the last moment as a dernier resort
What objection, other than purely
partisan, could have been had to
William Howard Taft, of world wide
acquaintance and experience as a
statesman and jurist, and who, as a
sort OF lone peace commissioner,
went to the Philippines to establish
tranquility and made a record that
has never been excelled as a peace
maker; or Elihu Root, the recog-
nized nestor Of international law
yers, at home and abroad; or Henry
Cabot Lodge, the seer of Massachu-
sets. who stands the peer Of any
living statesman; and last. but not
least, why overlook the redoubtable
Roosevelt, who would have COM
manded the utmost attention and re-
spect and brought home a full share
of the bacon?
The president seems to have for
gotten the United States senate
chosen by the popular vote, which
alone has the power to ratify and
give effect to any treaty made with
a foreign nation, Not single men,
Der of the senate was chosen to
serve, although it Is a we'll estab-
hshed precedent that the chairman
of the committee on foreign relations
shall always be member of any
commission that has to do with the
framing Of peace treaty. Under
this rule Senator Hitchcock was en-
titled to recognition and should have
had it, While we do not admire thc
senator from political standpoint,
he is so far above the three unknown
members Of the commission in
brains and ability that a comparison
would become odious.
IL ever a sovereign Of a constitu-
tOnal government was rebuked by
the people, after making a personal
appeal for support, such a rebuke
was administered at the last cleo
ton, with such force as to be almost
brutal. The opposition minority in
the lower house of congress was
changed to an overwhelming ma
jority and the senate was likewise
changed by smaller majority. If
the government of England had
gone before the people and been SO
rebuked and King George should
ignore the verdict, he would soon be
Fastening on the first boat for Hol-
land to meet up with his cousin, Will
liam Hohenzollern, glad to save his
head without his crown. 1t is to be
most sincerely desired that no ruler
in America will ever adopt as
motto the remark Of the irate rail-
road magnate when he said, THE
people be damned"
All good Christians offered up
many fervent prayers for the speedy
ending of the war, with victory for
the allies, and their prayers seem to
have been answered. They should
continue to pray that all the great
sacrifice Of blood and treasure shall