Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-03
WILSON STILL PLAYING
LONE DIPLOMATIC HAND
Address Leaves Whole Country Still Depend.
ent Upon Him Alone at Peace
Conference

DRESIDENT WILSON in his address
to Congress revealed nothing of the
plans, nothing of the information which
inspired his decision to go to Europe.
He remains, in relation to the whole
question Of peace, an autocrat or an
inspired mystic, according to the spec
tacies through which he is viewed.
There will be clamor and disappoint-
I1ent in some quarters because of the
Presidents deliberate refusal to tell Con-
gress of the program which he will urge
upon the council at Versailles. 1t will
be said that he should have asked the
advice of Congress or, at least, permit
ted it to express an opinion in relation to
the new international scheme in which
we shall have to participate later on.
And, on the other hand, there are many
who, because they believe they under
stand the mmcnsity of the forces
opposed to each other in Europe, will be
assured that the President could not and
should not have revealed his intentions.
1t must be assumed that the President
will do as he has done before-forge his
weapons and choose his course as he goes
along. This is an unconventional method,
strange in a country like ours and not in
accord with our habits of thought or
practice. 1t operated successfully during
the war 1t served to terminate hostili-
ties successfully. 1t swept autocracy
out Of Germany and averted the posi-
bility of another year of blood and loss
and horror.
So, even though the address to Con-
gress yesterday studiously avoided to
the very end the topic in which all
America was most keenly interested, and
even though there will be continuing
disposition in many quarters to say that
the trip to Europe is superauous, peril
Gus, pretentious or unwise, it will not do
10 conclude hastily that the President
may not be more astute than his critics.
AS we have said repeatedly, results alone
will tell.
1t would be unfair to suppose that
purely selfish motive or any vain as
sumption of authority has prompted
surely, that in many respects his address
would be a disappointment to the coun-
try. And.h must be acutelv aware that
his journey may end in disaster to his
prestige. That is proof of his courage.
1t indicates strong convictions. What
the public must hope for now is that he
may succeed in establishing the princi-
pies of justice between nations which
heretofore he has so splendidly ex-
pounded The fact remains that the
country is left in a cloud of uncertain
ties.
Something of what might be called
Mr.. Wilson's secrecy is understandable.
| Had he followed the course which would
| have satisfied and reassured the country
| and stated frankly to Congress the essen
| tial aims and purposes Of his mission the
| President might have been forced to
reveal elements in the situation which
| deeper knowledge requires to be kept
secret. Yet in the method he adopted
he leaves the country with sense that
it is straying in the mist. Its affairs are
taken out of it's hands. 1t must trust
the President - for the simple reason
that there is no alternative 1t has
trusted the President before and found
that it trusted wisely. But it has to
depart far from methods which were
found essential and sure in the past.
The President is dealing with i'm
ponderables in Europe. Russia is a dim
| 60 h,1 g..
exploiter or the conqueror. Germany
and Austria are preparing to change the
course of life and civilization on the con-
tinent. Opposed forces of extraordinary
power are struggling for the control of
the British Government and British
no one is qualified to make prophecies.
So the relation which the United States
must maintain with one or another con-
dition of affairs in Europe-the manner
in which we shall cooperate or refuse to
cooperate with new and unforeseen
States and conditions of nationality-is
left solely to the discretion of one man
When it is said that that one man is
devoted and moved by a concern for the
worlds benefit we have not yet disposed
Of the situation. For there is no man
who may not fall into an error of judg.
ment, and such an error becomes a matter
of immeasurable Importance when it is
of sort that affects the destiny of 6
whole nation.
1t is conceivable that Mr. Wilson sees
the subjects of the Peace Conference fal
more clearly than they can be seen by
those whom he might have taken int
his confidence. We are unlike the othe,
nations since we have no indemnities O
territories or awards to seek. We hav,
lost all that we can lose in the present
The President, acting apparently upol
his assurance that the majority of man