The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-27
WILSON'S REFUSAL
TO DISCUSS VIEWS
SERIOUS MISTAKE


be the attitude of the conference to.
ward the abstract principles which hith-
erto have been evolved by the allies
and American statesmen. On the ques-
ton Of disarmament, however, Mr.. VII
son, for example, wants to see arma-
ments reduced. If there Is not general
agreement, then the United States viii
continue her building Of battleships and
cruisers, and our record during the
last war shows that we can very soon
have the biggest navy in the world.
Secretary Daniels went before coli
greSS recently n advocated a large
navy. That move surprised many WIN
supposed Mr.. Daniels would not be out
of harmony with the idealism OF the
administration on the subject of large
nayies. But it develops hat the sec
rotary of the navy is taking the safe
course, America Is to keep on enlarg-
Ing her navy until there Is an agree
ment on disarmament.
Then there Is the matter of ship
building. America has built a large
fleet Of merchant vessels during the
war, Foreign nations would like to
avail themselves of American ship.
building facilities and get into the
ownership, moreover, of American COM
panies, for the benefit Of foreign CAPT
tai. Shall this opportunity for Ameri-
can business be lost to them? Freedom
of the seas means, so far as | can dis
cover, equality on the seas for Ameri-
can business and American capital in
commerce and shipbuilding. II Euro
pean countries are not willing to en-
gage in agreement that give all ma
tons an equal share, then the United
states must be ready to enter the field
Of competition and her facilities must be
protected against exploitation by for
eign interests.
Another sidelight on the question is
offered by Chairman Hurley's sign!fi-
cant statement about the LaFollette
Seamen's act. America was unable to
make any Roadway with her merchant
marine before the war, because our
navigation laws kept the price of la
Dor higher for ships of American than
OF foreign registery. Either the rest
Of the world must pay its labor as
highly as does America, or the United
states must In some other way try to
overcome the advantage of foreign
countries, so 1t will be profitable for
the United States to engage in foreign
commerce with ships flying the Amer
lean flag.
The whole question of shipping and
the big navies Is involved in the free
dom of the seas" Mr.. Wilson'S sun
porters contend that European coun-
tries know generally what the presi-
dent means and that he Is standing for
an American merchant marine. They
Insist that when the facts are known
and when Mr.. Wilson's position is de-
veloped at the peace table, American
business will find that the president
viii not permit sentiment to sway his
judgment on the necessity for a recog-
dustry.
The unfortunate thing, however. is
that the president has not seen fit to
take Into his confidence the leaders of
the Republican party who could do
much, when they know his views, to
make Mr.. Wilson an even more power
full factor at The peace table. than he
will be. Already Sydney Brooks and
other writer's ny British wspaper
are saying that while Mr.. Wilson is a
large International figure personally,
he must submit the treaty to the
American senate fuT ratification, and
In that body he will not have a ma
jority of his own party. In order to
make foreign governments realize that
the last election was not a repudia-
ton Of all the thirgs America has
stood for since she entered The war,
and was chiefly a domestic quarrel II
which the Incompetence Of the Demo-
cratic party in congress in dealing with
domestic questions, was strongly de-
nounced by the country, the course
that is being urged upon the president
now is one OF conference and common
counsel with his opposition.
If the president could go to the
peace conference WIFI the OutSDOken
support of the leaders of the Republic
can party, and II they knew, even in
confidence, just what he plans to do,
there would be nc doubt of a united
America and no chances for any for
eign interest to make capital out of
the divisions In American opinion. An
agreement on essentials between Mr..
Wilson and the Republican leadership
would mean the removal of obstacles
to the ratification of the treaty or
treaties which must ultimately be sub
mitted to the senate.
The president has not been per
sonally on good terms with some of
the Republican leaders, but a confer
ence with the entire membership of
the senate foreign relations COMMITTEES
and Il frank discussion with them of
his plans would do more to promote
the interests Of the United States eat
the peace table just now than anything
else, and It Is Uncomfortable that Mr.
Wilson win allow personalities to in
t~erfere with the policies Of the United
States government at a moment when
all Americans must stand together for
America.
Copyright, 1918, by the New York
Evening Post)