The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-12-11

FRANKNEss WITH THE PEOPLE.

Tho Minneapolis Journal takes
very much the same view as The
Forum as to the frankness Of Brit
ish political leaders In telling the
people their. plans being better than
the secretivef1ess Of President Will
son. when Mr.. Lloyd George in an
election speech discussed the neces-
sity for apprchending and furnishing
the former kaiser" says The Jour-
nal, when he declared that Germany
would be required TO ray to Great
Britain indemnities of forty billion
dollars, when Winston Churchill as
serted in a speech that Britain
would never consent to give up her
supremacy on the seas. when A. J.
Balfour debated publicly the League
OF Nations and the questions arising
in connection with that plan-these
British statesmen were only con-
forming to the custom of the coun-
try"
Continuing, The Journal says:
The approach Of election day may
perhaps have made them more frank,
but it is the British way to conceal
nothing that can possibly be reveal
ed. All through the war the public
was kept informed of the progress
of affairs, whether the news was bad
or good. And now the questions be-
fore the Peace Conference are re-
candid consideration on the
This is or should be. the policy in
the United States. too. But the
president has elected to keep his
own counsel on the most important
questions. He has sailed for France
without discussing these questions
with the people. 1t is not even
known what the official American
is on the trial and punish
ment of Herr Hohenzollern. AS for
Mr.. Wilson's plans for the freedom
Of the seas, we do not in the least
know what he means by that phrase,
nor precisely what proposal in con-
nection herewith he is to make to
the British delegates. And the de-
tails of the League Of Nations pro-
ject are closely locked in his own
and possibly that of his other
selves. the delegates he has named.
The Presidents singular reti-
cence has, of course, not prevented
public debate of these matters here
1t home. Some inklings of his pur-
pose have transpired, but no one
IAN say whether they are authentic
or not 1t is, for example, inferred
rom Secretary Daniels expansive
naval program that the argument of
American ability to outbuild the
World in war craft will be brought
10 bear on Great Britain to induce
ler consent to reducing naval arma-
nents and delegating the duty of
the seas to the League of
Nations, or at least sharing the re-
;ponsibility with the United States.
Now, the future relationship of
America and Britain is perhaps the
most momentous issue Of the Peace
Are the two great
English speaking powers to be
trends and allies. or rivals and COM
,etitors? Are they to share the
of safeguarding the
worlds peace on a basis of mutual
rust and helpfulness? Are they to-
yether to form and dominate a real
md practical League Of Nations?
Are they to cooperate or to COM
pete?
THE president has declared for
open diplomacy, for an end to secret
covenants. He has before him the
example Of British statesmen in
'rankness with the people. Must the
American people wait to learn his
views until he makes public speech
1t oxford University or at the Sor-
,onne or before the Conference it