Evening journal., 1918-12-04

The spoken message delivered TO the
Congress yesterday by the Presiden,
OF the United States is not a farewell
address IN the exact sense in which
the term is applied to George Wash
ingtons memorable utterance. Wash
ington was quitting office forever
Wilson is merely quitting his appoint
ed post OF duty. Washington used the
solemn occasion 10 impart to his fell
low cOuntrymen advice. as TO the avoid
ance OF entanglement In foreign affairs
advice which shaped the policy Of
the United States Government for more
than a century. Wilson uses the pres
ent occasion to indicate vaguely to his
fellow citizens a future OF partlcipa-
tiOn in the affairs OF foreign nations.
illimitable In its oxtent unbounded in
It's possibilities, immeasurable In its
dangers. IL IS not strain OF language
TO speak OF this m0mentous speech at
the Capitol as a farewell address. for
President Wilson Is bidding g0od-by
TO many things as he sails away with
his expensive retinue into the unknown
on a ship which the irony OF accident
has named the, George Washington.
He Is bidding farewell, among other
things, 10 even the slenderest pretense
that either the people Of the United
States, OF whom he again says he Is
the servant. or. the Senator's OF the
United states, his constitutional part
ners In treaty-making, are entitled TO
the least enlightenment concerning his
real reasons for going abroad or his
purposes while abroad as the bearer
Of the Wilson fourteen. Any expec-
tation that he might, at the last mo-
ment take the people and the Senate
into his confidence has been rndely
shattered when the concluding para
graph OF his address has been read.
He plays with fair words, that carry
no meaning. The denial OF informa-
tion to the nation Is absolute; the SER
want goes out slamming the door in the
face Of the acknowledged master,
standing In dumb surprise and await
ing an explanation OF the errand. The
refusal Of information TO the Senate,
his senior partner In the treaty busi-
ness in which he is engaged, Is so
marked in the Symbolism Of the ignoring
as 10 come nigh TO the edge OF insult.
This is the outstanding fact about
an address which viii be read today
with amazement everywhere, with hon
est indignation in many quarters.
Styling himself the servant OF the
nation, Mr. Wilson is proceeding pre-
clsely as II he were the master. as II
the arrangement OF the nations poll
cies and destinies rested exclusively
with him, with his independent and
uncontrolled Judgment. He youchsafes
to the Congress and to the people no
flt explanation OF his departure. no
declaration OF his intentions except so
far as they are suggested in the four
teen geri alitles formulated in his in
dividual mind and enunciated on his
individual authority. Let US see what
his prospectus is.
He realizes "the great inconven-
iences" that Will attend his leaving the
country at this time, but has come, in
his capacity as an individual temp
rarily holding office under a govern
ment OF law, TO the conclusion that IL
Is his paramount duty TO instruct the
Allied Governments as 20 the interpre-
tatlOn and application Of the fourteen
generalities which he has individually
framed. lie goes not because the Con-
stitution prescribes it, not because any
clearly seen feature Of the situation
requires IT. but because he wishes TO
explain and enforce certain general
principles OF world interest which rep
resent no authoritative declaration OF
the Unitec States Government as /
whole but are from first to last the |
conceptions OF his individual intellect. [
He says that the Allied Governments
very reasonably desire" his personal
counsel; but the evidence Of the invi-
tation, the evidence even Of the desire
OF the ALLIES to have him physically
present at the conference, is by no