The sun., 1919-01-29
WILSON'S IDEALISM
DTSTURBS ENGLAND
London Press Strong for
League but Skittish About
interpretations.
FLAWS FOUND IN PLANS
Despite Pretences Of Appeal
ing to Reason Force Is
Still Big Factor.
Special Gable Despdfch 10 THE Sun.


LONDON, Jan. 2s,-Although London is
merely backwater at the present mo-
nent of the worlds diplomacy opinions
voiced here by the public and the news
papers are influencing the decisions of
the Peace Conference to a large degree.
Thus. no stancher supporters OF
the big Ave" and their creation OF the
league OF nations exist than the British
newspapers. but although they support
whole heartedly the league and inter-
national peace. they are somewhat
sceptical as to President Wilson's inter.
pretations OF them and to his present
policy.
The Daily Graphic says: ''In view OF
the results OF President Wilson's ideal
| Ism one realizes how much America and
| the world lost In the robust common
sense OF Col. Theodore Roosevelt. The
whole idea underlying the league OF ma
lions is that the peoples OF the world
should appeal to reason instead OF to
force. but in the practice of the Paris
conference which proclaimed the embryo
league OF nations the decisions first were
made by the Ave big Powers In secret
conclave and the little nations were then
offered by way OF consolation a public
| debate Of issues already settled.
sum appealing TO FOrCe.
When the little nations complain
they are told bluntly that the big
| Powers put 10000. 900 men into the field
! and. therefore. the decision must rest
| with them. What Is this but an appeal
| to force7
1T Is true that the blunt insistence
upon hard facts came from Premier
C!emenceau. the realist, and not from
President Wilson. the idealist; but 1t
Is certain that neither Presiden, Wilson
nor the American people ever would
bind themselves to submit to the DEGREES
or a league OF nations In which the
United States could be outvoaed by the
republics OF Panama and Costa Rica."
While President Wilson may try his
experiment and. II the experiment fails.
| America will not be much worse OF for
II Is safe in the vastness OF its power
and It's distance from possible enemies,
| unhappy, Europe is in different case
argues the Morning Post, which points
out that President Wilson can afford to
be an idealist because his country is not
endansered by his ideals. while the Eu.
| ropean countries are.
Committed to Repression.
The Eren,n0 Stdndard. speaking of
the birth OF the league Of nations, says:
The delegates In Paris very wisely
place more faith in the machinery Of
restraint than In sentiments and emo
tons which. however sincere they may
De to-day. VIII be weakened by the pas
sage OF time
The league. then. In to envisage an
Organization capable Of exerting an i'm
mense material pressure upon those VINO
would disturb the peace Il will not ad-
NIT 10 the advantages OF the combina-
uon any nation which has not made
clear Its intention OF abiding by the
principles of the league and II will bring
| against any member which threatens
war without first submitting its ca &c to
| the international tribunal force, mill
tary and economic. which may well give
pause TO the most INSCRIPTIONS ambition.
We need look back only to 1914 TO
! imagine the effect OF such a league had
1t been in existence. Germany. in the
opinion Of many would not have pre-
cipitated the war had she known for
certain Great Britain would be num-
bered among her antagonists 1t IL
certain that she never would have dared
to bring into the field against her al one
and the same thine the greatest states
of the old and new world with all their
| military and economic potentialit!es"
Sees Coming Of New World.
The DoiIy Eers believes the establish
| ment OF the league OF nations marks tho
Inauguration OF a new world The COM
mlttee that Is working out the details
will not approach the task alb Inltto ; the
| British. American and French deleRa-
| lions each have prepared scheme.
These vary in detail. but In principle
they are not in serious disagreement.
The Pail Mall Gazette says: Mankind
Is appalled, by the spectacle OF the ruin
with which the uncontrolled ambition OF
certain nations has been allowed TO be-
| spatter the earth. They ask with Pre-
mier Lloyd George and President Will
son IL this IL the last word OF civiliza-
| ton in the settlement Of human Differ
ences
THE league TO constitute genuine
guarantee against International crime,
not only must be equipped with strong
powers, military, naval and economic.
but must be so organised that these i'm
Elements OF police duty can be applied
on the shortest notice to any nation
which aims to ride roughshod over the
world and lays plans for selling strategi-
cal advantages before the guardian of
peace can muster his weapons and re-
ceive his authority"