The Alaska daily empire., 1918-12-13
Just Peace Depends on Wilson.
| (W w. Jermane, Washington Correspondent in Seat | tie Times)


 is absent on his great mission:
 "Our triumph is great, but so, too, our
 responsibilities. For life has been
 difficult, or the tremulous balance of human
 fortunes precariousy held, since the fall
 of the Roman Empire. One point of steadfast
 light appears through this wreck of dissolv ing dreams A firm hand, guided more by
 will and intellect than feeling controls the
 passion and steades the mind of the older
 world.
 "Al depends upon Mr. Wilson. If he wins
 European society may recover, and if it re-
 covers, will to higher levels. No such happy issue should his
 mics at home overthrow him or reaction in the alliance counter-Work his aim
 The Times correspondent has just read letter written home by high American naval officer sta tioned in Rome. He speaks about the enthusiastic welcome given the King on his return from the war, | "If Mr Wilson to this city he will be given a welcome such has been given public official in all it's history Even the Caesars, in their trum- phal entries were not received with the heartfelt and sincere love and that will dominate Italian l thought when MT. Wilson comes to Rome He has a hold the common people of Italy that other man eyer has had. He speaks the language of their hearts He interprets their age-od yearnings. In an earlier day they would have made him saint and erected cathedrals in his honor. I have been surprised and gratifed to know about the unlimited confidence they have in him, and of their purpose to support his peace program.
 What is of the people of Italy is true also of people of Great Britain and France. Scores of turned journalists and public bear testimony to it, of it more or less reluctant. Wilson has a hold the confidence of the world such as Amer ican has had, and such perhaps man of any age of any country has had
 This is extreme statement, but it is made with a full understanding of it's meaning. It is not question ed by anybody who has had opportunity to look the situation in person. As great fact it is difficult for this country grasp it and the difficulty increased by the petty blunders he has made in his dealings with the American Congress. Still other difficulties have been created by the effort in certain places to turn these blunders to political profit. But of these days the American people will understand that the man who has guided them through the worlds greatest has made himself of the worlds greatest figures.
 Quite naturally, this unusual tribute has not in creased the love of European politicians for Wilson Several times in these dispatches references have been made to the feeling of jealousy and ill will that has up among them, and of their secret desire to do something that will prevent him from becoming dominating parsonage at the peace table.
 American diplomatic and military agents in Flu rope have made many confidential reports, in which the situation in detail has been set out, and the derstanding here is that it necessary that the President go if the peace as finally made was to press, even in part, the worlds ongngs.
 All of this bears forcibly upon the difficulties the President will encounter in Paris. Lloyd George Clemenceau and Orlando understood to agree with him in principle. cablegram from Clemenceau is understood to have had more than anything else to do with making him decide to These three men, with the President, represent the real power the four nations that will fix the terms.
 King George, President Poincare and King Victor Emmanuel are not the actual wielders of power in their respective countries Wilson is in his. His power is analogous to that of the three pre- miers, except that he adds the tituar headship of the American people well.
 As former President Taft well says Those who have projected plans for the league of nations have always insisted that the members of it's executive councils should be the pemers and actual executives in order that the council should be truly represen- tattve and have power to act
 If these three premiers sincerely desrous of making the kind of peace that America favors Will sons difficulties will readily be overcome But if they are not. if any one of them should hold back those difficulties will increase The next few weeks will tell the story, for what these four decide upon will be the yardstick with which the formal peace conference will be fore it. These must agree upon a definition of freedom of the and decdeh how far they will go with the proposed league of nations. The widest possible lat itude exists as to definition in each case
 There will be progress Paris Of that the world may assured, assuming again the sincerity of the words that have been uttered by three pre- miers who will sit with Wilson. But the degree of that progress nobody present forecast While much will depend upon the premiers, much also will depend upon Wilson, who if he is to get the largest results, must edhibt spirit of concilaton and good nature that he has not exhibited in his dealings with his people.
 The Wilson flint is to strike the rock of Entente cppostion the flying sparks will threaten to start new confagaratons. At the same time there noth- ing like oral intimate discussions to wnnow out real differences and remove dsagreements due to mis- understanding. It will be expected, until the con trary has been proved, that the four question will go into the conferences with proper sense of responsibility and that their deliberations will give the world some measure of what it desires.
 Nothing better regarding league of nations has been said than what came from Senator John Sharp Williams of Mississippi in Senate debate this week Discussing the proposed league he said
 The United States and Great Britain can main tain league of nations even if other nations refuse to have a part in it. We can agree that any civil ized nation that makes war upon another without first submitting the questions in controversy to an arbitration tribunal shall be outside the pale of civ ilization that the freedom of operation the high seas shall be denied her. that to the raw ma terials and markets which the two nations control shall be denied her. and in that way keep peace in the world for hundred years if only have the courage to do it..