Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-23
AMERICAN RIGHTS
AT THE PEACE TABLE
The President Is Waging a Subtle Campaign
10 Force the European Diplo.
maIists to Respect Them

America to assume that there will be
serious disagreement between the United
States and England-that is, disagree
mcnt serious enough to lead to a break
between them. The English statesmen
do not want it, for they know that the
combined influence of the two nations
made up of the same kind Of people is
enough to dominate the Peace Confer
ence and to establish that kind of justice
for which the English-speaking races
have an inherent fondness.
1t would also be a mistake for any
one in Europe to assume that the United
States does not stand behind President
Wilson or support most sincerely and
heartily those general purposes for the
accomplishment of which he has gone to
Europe. The United States intends to
have something to say about the kind
Of peace that is to be made.
AS Gertrude Atherton reminded us in
her Illuminating dispatch from Paris
printed in this newspaper on Saturday,
We went into the war to protect our
rights because they were threatened by
Germany. 1t was not theoretical or
academic idealism that caused US to raise
four million men and ann them and send
half of them three thousand miles across
the ocean,, but it was a very practical
form of idealism. We had no unsatisfied
territorial or commercial ambitions to
crafty. We resented the impudence of
a nation which assumed to tell us when
we could use the sea and when we could
not. We do not ask for indemnities nor
do we ask for any new territory. We
take our place at the peace table with no
demands save those Of fairness and JUS
tice to other nations as we'll as to our
selves. We are determined that peace
shall be made on such conditions as to
emovc provocations for new wars and
to preserve the peace Of the world for
years to come, because we are interested
primarily in preventing the creation of
conditions which will force US to arm
ourselves again in order to protect our
selves in the right to enjoy that liberty
at homo and on the high seas which be-
longs to US as a sovereign nation.
Consequently we must maintain our
position as an equal among equals at
the peace table in order that our de-
mands may receive a respectful hearing.
And we must not permit our associates
to forget that it was the American army
which turned the tide and saved the day
for civilization. 1t was a cry of distress
like that from a wrecked ship which
Lloyd George sent to America last March
when he besought US for men and dis
patched ships here to carry them over,
The fact that W. went to the rescue of
the Allies, however, must not be per-
mitted to obscure the fact that we were
fighting for ourselves as we'll. 1t was
our war and it must be our peace.
The determination of America to be
the equal in sea power to the best and
to take its place at the peace table backed
with the mobile strength to assist effec,
lively in carrying out the conclusions OF
the negotiators is indicated in Clinton
w. Gilbert's dispatch to this newspaper
printed Saturday. There is no doubt
that Mr.. Gilbert speaks with knowledge
U llC pltStllI pun pOoGS VI JIG L ItSlutIlL
Conditions may change and the necessity
for building a navy equal to that Of
England and Japan may not arise, but
our readiness to equip ourselves with the
power necessary for any emergency mus
not be overlooked in Paris or in Londor
without any bellicose or domineerinl
intent whatsoever.
There is cumulative evidence that Mr.
Wilson is appealing over the heads Of
the statesmen directly to the war-weary
people of Europe and that he is seeking
to bring about a state of affairs in which
the people themselves instead of the
statesmen will dictate the ends to be
sought.
In his City Hall speech in Paris hc
said that he was delighted to know tina
his efforts to establish justice had founC
an echo in the hearts Of the people O
France and England and Italy. Thi,
was a reminder to Lloyd George anC
Clemenceau and Orlando that they would
have to reckon with something else thar
the members of their ministries. H
went further in the interview with tn,
Paris correspondent of the London Time.
when he said that the congress of Vienn;
was a congress Of "bosses" more con
cerned with their own interests and tn,
interests of the classes they representec
than with the wishes of the people
Versailles" he continued, must be
meeting place of the servants of the PEG
pie represented by delegates"
What he means by this every Euro
pean statesman must know. The pecpl'