The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-11-29

The relaxation of the domestic and foreign censorship
for the purpose of aordng better information regarding
the peace negotiations about to begin at Paris is suf
cent to those persons and newspapers who
thought they attempt to autocratze the worlds
If they had paused to reflect amoment they would
have agreed that such attempt would be impossible
of execution.
The world has not sacrificed six eight million lives
and crippled millions of its youths in any idle cause It
has not rescued its liberties from fire and sword to be
now the playthng of temporary agents. sitting in
chamber proceedings and dckerng in the rights of
kind Nations that have known nothing of really govern
ling themselves and their servants may be satisfied with
Vennese methods of transferring peoples and territories
like baggage but the American people are not that kind
President Wilson has proclaimed that the day of secret
diplomacy is past and nothing he has uttered has
been truly and emphaticaly expressive of the
American spirit Not only has Mr.. Wilson voiced this
spirit but he is carrying it into effect by his own acts
and his influence upon other governments
Therefore the world will be kept informed of the pro-
gress of the peace negotatons-not of course every
subcommittee speech and nterminabe paper handed in
by ambitious unta in Europe that thinks it is
titled to be designated a separate and independent
government We don't want such rubbish But the
fundamental moves the agreements affecting the indie
pendence and freedom of action of the United States
Of America will most certainly be made known in ad
vance to the people thereof They will surely be heard
these questions before they are committed too deeply
by any action taken in Paris. Public opinion is more
powerful than ever before 1t is the only supreme
power in the world must and will be obeyed by pres
dents emperors kings premiers paraments armies and
naves
"This is peoples war; not statesmen's" said Pres
dent Wilson September 81 last. Statesmen must
follow the clarified common thought be broken" The
common thought cannot be clarified without information
accurate and complete informaton the truth in short
With the truth, public opinion will guide the free ma
ons to security and will bring other nations to freedom
and security.
Public opinion in the United States is pretty well car
fled It knows fairly we'll what it wants in behalf of
the United States and what it is willing to concede from
the United States So long the peace conference goes
along in the direction of putting into effect universally
the rule of by of the governed public
opinion in the United States will take care of any can
tankerous individuals who try to get in the way of the
peace treaty There need be no fear that the treaty will
not be promptly ratified by the senate whether the senate
be republican, democratic some other color But if
the peace conference should degenerate into secret
caucus of European wirepullers trading off popular
rights for dynastc other advantages the people of
the United States will be heard from without delav or
doubt
The public is anxious to know the names Of the men
who are to represent the United States in the conference
The delay in this announcement is not agreeable to the
people They want to be represented by the strongest
and most effective in the country without regard
to anything but the best interests of the country This
is the worst possible time for the exercise of partisan
preferences especially after the mandate given on No
vember 5, which that political virtue is not monopo
lzed by any party. The people hope that President
Wilson has selected great pure experienced and capable
men to meet the master minds of Europe in this unpre-
cedented congress of nations
| But no matter whom the American conferees NAV he
whether acknowledged leaders of men or
hgureheads it must not be forgotten for moment that
the real directing force of the conference so far as
America is concerned will be American public opnion.
Washington Post.