The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-12-16

demanded. When the allies and America SIT
down at tho peace table they are going to place
their souls In the balance, not their armies
There Is small danger that America win prove
selfish bargainer. with President Wilson at the
head Of our peace delegation we may be as
sured that American ideals will not be dimmed.
On the contrary IL any uneaginess exists among
the Allies on the subject of Americas at
dtude at the conference, 1t seems to me on the
point that she may prove too altriuistic too un-
selfish. The critics of Mr.. Wilson's participa-
ton in the meeting, are apparently fretting over
the little wavelets that form on the slopes Of
the big waves forgetting that Mr.. Wilson
has no copyright on the principles we know
him to represent. They were American
long before Woodrow Wilson yas born.
They are held by 100. 100000 Americans equally
with himself, and that is what makes them inn
portant. For the moment he becomes the mouth
piece by which the nation speaks them, and by
virtue OF his office and his personal fitness, it
is eminently proper that he should be spokes-
man. America, it may well be assumed will
render Europe as distinguished service at the
peace table as she has on the battlefield, for,
unless all signs FAIL her part will consist mainly
In adjusting the nice balances of fairness be-
tween score of nations, and to see that in
hundreds of claims and counter claims obscured
and complicated by passions Of many kinds-the
is what that hundred million think and believe
that will give power to the Presidents words
Only the spirit of the American republic
speaks through him, will his influence be maxi
mum. He represents more than the administra-
uon's policy-he represents American policy,
which includes all parties and individuals in the
nation.
The world situation as it will come before the
Versailles conference, presents 80 many and
great issues, fraught with such immense possi-
bilities for good and ill. that our minds almost
refuse to take them in. It is easier to bicker
over trifles. But we have got to put our souls
into this peace and reconstruction business from
now on, or we shall miss, and the world will
miss, the real value Of the things we have al
ready won. Sacrifice is never justified ex-
cept 1t gain something commensurate with
Its outlay, and unless the sacrifices Of this
translated into moral and spirit
ual endowTnents for all of human kind, the strug-
gle has been in vain Shifting about of boun-
daries will not make the world richer-there
is no more OF the earth now, after the war; than
there was before. But in very real sense the
nations can, and ought to get spiritual riches
out Of it. The idealism that has burned 50
brightly in the hearts of soldiers and sailors
and been vindicated by victory over a cruel and
rapacdous foe, ought to shine out with even
greater lustre at the peace conference inasnuch
as the blood Of millions of soldiers cries from
the soil Of France Justice truth, righteous.
ness"
II ever there time for unity and clarity
of motive, it is now The whole nation, with all
her moral and spiritual power, must sustain our
representatives at Versailles and 1t seems to me-
that there was time, when prayer and
counseI Win COG was more appropriate.
F. G. WEsTFALL.
Minnewaukan, N. D., Dec. 49,