The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-03-06
MIR. WILSON'S TRIUMPH.

Americans who regretted the
presidents decision to absent him
self from the country in these days
OF domestic need and urgency, and
the Times was one of those which
regretted it, will not only cheerfully
admit the greatness of his achieve
ments at the Paris conference, but
will rejoice in their recognition Of
his now amply demonstrated fitness
for the work he undertook. Mr..
wilson's presence at the conference
has not been a cause of discord or
ed. 1t was seen from the beginning
that he went there not to dominate,
as his critics said, but to unite the
nations. He has been marvelously
successful in bringing into agree
ment men who represented interests
Influence in this work has prevail
ed because all the other nations
represented looked upon him as
wise and impartial friend, interested
only in making justice and the wei
fare of peoples the basis Of the de-
cisions reached. His triumph in Sc
curing unanimous approval of the
in which every American may take
pride.
Mr.. Wilson has a dreadful way
with his critics. He does not reply
to them, he does worse. They rail
at him as an idealist, visionary, a
II he have them, that they are i'm
possible of acceptance; and they
TDbligingly point out the things he
ought 10 DO Mr.. Wilson calmly
continues his great labors, and pres
emily lays his critics flat and leaves
them helpless either by doing the
very things they had proposed, and
ever dreamed of. or else by attain
ing his ends in a way that robs their
objections of every point We are
confident that Mr.. Beck, for instance,
must regret the violence of the Ian
guage he used in his Lincoln Day
sons foreisn policy throughout has
been black stain of dshonor upon
the American people," that his
principles have been crazy patch
work of contradictions, consistent
only in one idea, that the war must
end IN a peace without victory" III
this be just criticism, then Mr.. Will |
orlng the American people, in con-
structing his crazy patchwork of
contradictions" and in bringing the |
war to an end without victory,
some fourteen nations of the earth,
including the greatest civilized ma
Luis SuCn cFlLlClSln fGcOllS dlSaS-
trously upon him who utters it. Not
even the natural desire of a great
political party to find or create is
sues for the coming presidential
election can give lodgment in the
minds and hearts of the people to
this estimate of Mr. Wilson's dis
service
The day when the project of the
covenant of peace was approved I'M
in Paris was one of the
in the worlds history. The ,
people of all the nations understand
that; the people of America, with ,
their horror of war cannot be fool
ed about it, they cannot be misled /
INTO any small and narrow, view of
It's momentous promise. In bring
ng the plan Of the league into form I
md acceptance, Mr.. Wilson has play :
I'd a master role. every American
,eels that in his heart, every Ameri- s
IAN understands that he brought 6
great abilities, extraordinary quail :
les of tact and persuasion, and a !
profound understanding of the need r
IF all the peoples to the performance r
If his task The American people r
will be impatient of any petty or r
PARTISAN obstruction put in the way .
If the acceptance of this covenant f
If the nations as their public system !
II law and justice.-New York +
Times :