Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-13
THE PRESIDE MIS- RETURN

1t was announced yesterday that President Wilson
plans to leave France for; the United States on Sunday
and that he will be back at the peace congress in the
middle of March. The reason for Mr.. Wilson's return for
a fortnights visit at Washington is said to be the accu-
mutation of legislative and executive business that re-
quires his personal attention.
On December 8, the president sailed for Brest, arriv-
ing there December IL. After spending some days in Paris
he went to London, Manchester, Carlisle, Rome and back
to the French capital, where the peace negotiations have
made his uninterrupted presence since the early days of
January necessary.
1t Is natural to ask: What has been accomplished at
Paris during the American presidents sojourn there?
Time and again it has been pointed out that delaying
friction has developed, and that progress has been too
slow. But it. must also be remembered that it is no easy
task to adjust an entire worlds affairs-the One Hundred
Years War was followed by a series Of peace conferences
extending over seven years and at that time only a part Of
Europe was involved while now the fate of large and
small countries on all continents hangs in the balance.
There has been some impotence at the seemingly
slow progress of the Paris meeting, and a numbr of mis-
informed publicists have placed their individual interpre-
tation on this fact, which has led to a pretty common
belief that much valuable time is being lost. Those states
men and journalists who have access to the source OF
events seem inclined to think that matters have been
facilitated at a reasonably fair rate of speed, and among
them President Wilson is said to be.
He came to Paris on the strength of his own partic-
ular program, comprising altogether twenty-seven distinct
points which had been enumerated and defined in sew
eral public speeches, and which served as the basis of the
armistices that were finally concluded. The ultimate fate
OF the Wilson program in its entirety cannot now be de-
termined, but it looks as though it will be thoroughly
edited, amended and revised before the negotiators get
through with it.
The outstanding feature Of the presidents terms
was the plan for a league Of nations. On the whole it
may be said that this has been the outstanding and dom
mating feature of the congress, as well, and has attracted
more general attention and aroused more discussion than
any other single matter brought before the peace gathr-
ing. If nothing more has been accomplished than to focus
universal attention upon this one point, the president has
a vertain right to feel gratified at what is, at least. now a
partial success.
The league Of nations plan has been proposed in var
ious forms and versions-each peace delegate apparently
a PET scnene or his own as to how such a league
should be organized, and how wide its scope should be-.
But, even though many Of these plans merit serious and
sober consideration, it does look as though the Wilson
theory seems destined to prevail to the extent that its
fundamental idea will be the deciding factor.
Not much else has been done than to invite discus
sion Of the league Of nations. idea, but that was apparently
the plan uppermost in the presidents mind when he, un-
He has, Of course, taken part in many other important
discussions, notably those which led to the esta blish ment
of certain rules for the degree Of secrecy and publicity
that was to be maintained, and those which may lead to
a conference with the Russian Bolshevik elements. In
fact, his counsel has been desired whenever significant
details and larger issues required celebration. But IT is
yet too early to determine exactly to what degree Amer
lean views were allowed to prevail at the congress.
When the president plans to go back to France. It is
probably for the purpose Of lending the inspiration CT his
presence to the final decisions-those that will, re-chart
the world for ages to come.