The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-21
MIND Of WILSON
OPEN To RECEIVE
VIEWS Of ALLIES
Continued From First Page.)

OF opinion by influential Individual.
which indicate a desire 70 make peace
along lines differing radically from the
II points, but no official Of any belliger-
emit government has go expressed him
self. Indeed, the attitude Of President
Wilson and the American delegation
seems to be to assume that the ac-
ceptaDGe on the part or the belliger-
ents OF the principles laid down in the
correspondence was literal and to view
suggestions that our allies digress fun
damentally therefrom Is merely the
work Of trouble makers and propagan-
dists who are trying TO give the i'm
preston that the great free govern
ments associated with America would
90 back on their pledged words.
There is nevertheless much room for
discussion in regard to the exact work.
ing OF our main principles and the pres
ldent has revealed in informal confer
ences thus far his sincere desire to com
pare his mind with hat Of the Euro
peans and to determine by common
council the best formulas for peace.
This Is especially true with respect to
a league Of nations, The removal Of
economic barriers ana the freedom OF
the seas, though all know that every
formula must stand the acid test o.
securing absolutely the OBJECT previously
enunCiatcd.
1t begins to be apparent that Mr.. Will
son firmly believes that the peace con-
ference should first dispose Of ques-
tons which all nations have In COM
mon such as a league Of nations and
their attitude toward future wars, post
poning until later the EFFORT to range
territorial questions and consideration
Of numerous claims, Nevertheless one
encounters much discussion at the head
quarters OF every delegation Of the
mooted territorial questions. Admitted
ly the claims heard nowadays are only
the extreme ones with a prospect OF
recession subsequently. Paris resembles
closely the scenes at an American po-
litical convention. There Is none OF
the open booming OF individual claims,
but much earnest argument is going
on underneath the surface in an effort
to canvas n marshal strength ulti-
mhtely at the peace table or individual
propositions.
The American delegation Is just get
Ing organized. Much confusion Is nat
ural In erecting a structure Of such
Importance and housing the hundreds
Of officials, attaches ana clerks. Mr..
Wilson is taking a personal interest in
many details of the American organi-
zation and Is eager to see that the
American correspondents have an uh-
Interrupted channel back to America
for all news, The British and French
governments have formally promised
that there shall be no censorship OF
any sort on outgoing news or comment
on the peace parleys because although
they have a right to put In force such
restrictions, the fact that the Ameri-
can delegation agreed that the confer
ence should meet in belligereht rather
than In neutral territory In effect neu-
tralizes Paris In It's means Of communi-
cation to every participating people.
George Creel., chairman of the COM
mittee on public Information, has
nothing to do with making news public
nor Is anybody acting as an intermedl-
airy although members Of the peace mis-
sion and occasionally the president him
self, give interviews to the correspond
ents enabling them TO ask on behalf
Of the American people any question
which they may wish to put and Civ
ing the same freedom as in the United
States. Owing to the fact that military
censorship has been in effect in Euro
pean countries for some time, II may
be difficult at iirt to secure adherence
all along the line to this principle OF
freedom OF communication, but appar-
entity It Is the intention of the British
and French governments TO get subordi-
nate officials to obey literally the prom
ises formally given to president viii
son. American newspapers themselves
can tell whether dispatches are tam
pered with; any evidence OF failure to
live up to the agreement will be well
coined by the American delegation in
order hat corrective processes may i'm
mediately be instituted.
President Wilson recognizes that sue
cess for a democratic peace depends
upon keeping the peoples OF the world
constantly informed and wants freedom
Of expression for all currents OF opin-
ion, all shades Of view ana all kinds of
criticism.
Copyright, 1918. by the New York
Evening Post, Inc.)