The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1918-12-06
20 =
President Wilson to Sail Tuesday
+ fol. Peace Conference d:5w
s saa in Paris. gosusa )
WHOLE WORLD IN TURMOIL
Greatest Armed Struggle Of History
ashas Shaken Whole Structure Of
80 Civilization-change Disorder
and Fighting, Features s.
= of European Situation.
BY EDWARD w. PicKARp.

~ BY EDWARD w. PicKARD. n
Unless the unexpected happens
which seems to be the rule rather than
the exception nowadays-Presiden
WILSON will sail for the peace confer
enee in Paris Tuesday on the George
Washington, Immediately after deliv-
ering his message to congress. which
reassembles Monday, Friday night Pres
ident Wilson announced the appoint
ment of the peace commission. He
names himself as member and will
act-as chairman during his stay of six
weeks or more in Paris. Returning. he
win be replaced by Secretary of War
Baker; Secretary of State Lansing will
succeed him as chairman. Other men,
bers Of the commission are: Col. Ed
ward M. House. the presidents chief
confidant; Henry White. formerly am
bassador to Italy and France; Gen.
Tasker III. Bliss, American military ad-
wiser of the supreme war council.
Those who criticize the president for
gong must admit that his temptation
Is, great. Setting aside the fact that
he may feel 1t his duty to attend, 1t
Is the literal truth that such a meet
ing Of sOvereigns, presidents, premiers,
chancellors and high dignitaries of the
nations of the earth the worlr has new
er seen. 1t Is likely to be preceded by a
grand review of designated units Of
the victorious armies and fleets. 1t
will certainly be preceded by consul.
tatiOns of the heads of many nations.
parallel in history. And among these
great ones Of the earth, who will be
more prominent than Woodrow Will
son, president of the United States OF
America, both by reason of his own
activities In the world struggle and OF
the unique position of his country?
Moreover, Mr.. Wilson will have an
opportunity to be modern Solomon
to, the many applicants for his per-
sonal aid. These appeals have come
to him from victor and vanquished,
from new nations and old, from the in
dependent and from those seeking in
dependence-from Turkey, LuXem.
burg, Austria, Germany, Russia, Ire
land, Poland. Roumania; from the
Jugo-Slnvs and the Czecho-Slovaks.
Turkey asks for United States admin
istration Of finances, etc. Luxembourg
for protection as small independent
state; Austria for occupation by
American troops to prevent civil war
among newly formed nations, and so
on. Each request presents a different
problem.
On the other hand, the peace con-
ference faces the tremendous problem
Of reconstructing world. Thrown
without warning into the greatest
armed struggle Of all time, the nations
emerge from the bloody conflict to
find that It rs not only the lands that
have been trampled under foot that
mus; be reconstructed. but that the
whole structure of modern civilization
has been shaken. Ancient Institutions
and tfme-honored traditions are over
thrown Mankind finds Itself among
civic and economic ruins. II will be
100 much to expect Of human nature
70 count on this peace conference be-
Ang entirely fpeaceful. II Is more like
~ to be d. rodgh-and-tumble affair. z
sa<SThere are many possibilities Of trou-
fae. SUPPOSE our allies point out that
Americas FRACTIONAL policy has been
one of deiaehihent from sFguropean af'
4sirs and that FOR two yeafs and ID half
| ne observed aneutrality and then ssfg
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