South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-10-26
The Inside Story of the Peace Conference

interests
much of what the president calls accommodation =
and would doubt have come out about where the
commission came out and would have adopted much
the same kind Of covenant
Few Realize Situation.
But there such dramatization-w1th the re-
suit that there has had to be stupendous fight here
a home. There many reasons of course, outside
the presidents constitutional inability dramatic
people and events why such publicity would have been
very difficult Few people realize how tremendous and
explosive the situation throughout Europe during
the conference. All the governments were shaky;
little misstep the part of Mr. LLOYD George Mr..
Clemenceau Mr. orlando and their ministries might
have gone down. They all sensitive publicity;
II desperately afraid; all dominated by the old
European system diplomacy, which hates publicity.
And while Wilson had not that problem to face.
he assured the stability his situation
until March 1921, nevertheless he sitting in com
mon council" with these men: and il it a
conference with any real result there had be
uine working together give and take. Moreover
been difficult inform the American public than
the English public for example. We have been through
history detached in interest in foreign af
fairs; had the basic information regarding in
ernattona affairs to begin with; and everything that
reached America promptly had to through few
enormous cost for tolls Under these circumstances
with the affairs Of the entire world under review, with
hundreds of committees at work and of nations
| represented-t was next to impOssibla to give any
connected idea of what happenine&without going
to length Of explanation that the cables could not
carry and the people home would read.
Clear View in Retrospect
But is possible now that is all over TO look back
along the troubled history Of the peace conference and
to measure with little clearer vision what it was
that happened there and what Pres't Wilson did.
public IS perhaps best exhibited at the critical and
decisive moments where
where he is tested to the uttermos.
AS one looks back there appear clearly five crises in
the peace conference, five decisive battles Each
them centered upon point in the presidents
leadership directly of the clash between
Prest Wilson's principles and ideals with the interests
of other nations groups of nations.
The Five Crises
In three these peace conference
much breaking up than the world yet knows
these crises the that conferred
the Shantung decision, fairly well known to the
public while others. though equally important. like
which the struggle decide future
colonial policy of the world attracted almost
tention either at the time since-this largely be
cause the discussions kept secret.
These five crises briefly follows. in the order
in which they occurred:
First the settlement Of world colonial policy by the
adoption the mandatory system.
Second, the fight between those who wanted the
League Of Nations covenant made integra part of
treaty those who wanted lefs discussion
after the treaty was adopted really the struggle
between those who wanted effective League and
those who did one.
Third. the crisis April which led Prest Wilson
order the George Washington" and to consider the
possibility the withdrawal Of America from the
ference.
Fourth the presidents note to the italian people re-
sardng at F1ume the italian
delegates 10 withdraw from the conference.
Fifth, the Shantung settlement.
A brief account OF each Of these crseS-tO be pre-
scented in following articleswill show with
exactly what Mr.. Wilson did at Paris and why ne
did 1t.