Perth Amboy evening news., 1919-03-05

FORWARD WITH THE PRESIDENT

One cannot read President Wilson'S speech delivered in New
York last night without feeling tina. inspiration which lifts men up
and carries them onward to the achievement OF the greater things III
life. One is imbued viii the spirit Of the age-the spirit Of service
the lfHIeness and narrowness of living entirely to ones self is en-
phasized and one is aroused to make the nation worthy of the high
ideals upon which it was founded.
The criticism will be made that the President is not practical; that
he is a dreamer; that he is trying to bring about the impossible. But
the President is only trying to fulfill one of the promises we made to
ourselves when We entered the world war. 1t was declared on all
sides that this must be the last war. Never again must men be permit
ted to slaughter one another, bring ruin, desolation and misery
throughout the world.
But how are wars to be stopped if not by mutual agreement be-
tween nationsY And what is an agreement between nations but a
league such as is proposed by the peace conference now in session at
ParisY
And right here let it be remembered that this plan for a league OF
nations is not the work of President Wilson alone, a fact that some of
the senators at Washington seem to have overlooked. The greatest
brains of the world combined to make the proposed league possible al
though President Wilson played a leading part in the great work,
and proud, indeed, we should be to know that this nation could pro
duce a man big enough to lead in such a world wide movement.
With the United States claiming to be the most powerful Of ma
lions, it is impossible for it to neglect this wonderful opportunity to
join with the other nations of the earth in an honest effort to do away
with war entirely. The world is looking to us today to see if we really
mean what we have said the future peace of the world, it may be
said, rests in our hands. Are we TO falter now with the ideals upon
which this nation was founded about to be achieved9 Or are we to
follow the lead of the President and go forward as God has given us
the light, to tn fulfnlment of those lofty ideals for which Washington
fought and which Lincoln did so much to advance?
The world must move forward or backward / cannot stand still
Forward looking men will see in the League of Nations another step
in the advancement of civilization; the opponents harp backward to
ages that have gone.
President Wilson is right when he says that the first thing that he
is going to tell the people on the other side of the water is that IAN
overwhelming majority of the American people is in favor of the
League of Nations. % They are. The American people will go the limit
TO prevent future wars. When the great statesmen of the world gath
er together and formulate a plan which they unanimously adopt having
such a purpose in view, America, with one accord, should welcome the
opportunity to seal the compact and see that it is 1ot violated.
President Wilson, by his speech in New Yo|z has put to shame
those who, for petty, selfish, partisan reas2l~y would DESTROY the great
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