New-York tribune., 1919-01-28
Wilson's Ideas
Win Favor of
British, Press
Morning Post Only Londom
Paper Opposed to Plan
for League of Nations
NcW lorh Tribune
Europedn Bureau

(Copyrgh' lsl9. New York Tribune rnc)
LONDON. Jan. 26 President Will
sons speech at the plenary sitting of
the conference which discussed the ere
alton of league of nations is the lead
ing topic in to-day's newspapers
Speaking generally. the speech and its
accompanying ideas have been favor
ably received
ne FINES describes the utterance
as "a speech of great power and feel
ing. and says that the suggestion that
the details be reserved for subsequent
consideration is "a practical and far
sIghted view" AS regards the Presi
dents idea of league. the journal
says:
There IS no difference IN this con
ceptlon of league and its function
and that entertained by the Entente
The Morning Post among the great
papsrs alone takes up thc r5, or ap-
plaudlng the opposition and says:
'Tho President can afford to be an
ideaist because his country is not en-
dangercd by his ideals. But our coun-
tries arc. That is the difference. We
suggest to him that although his league
OF nations might be created. the causes
which have led to wars in ali ages re-
main.
American Tariff Cited
There is for example the question
of tariffs. We used to hold that free
trade made for peace and the national
system Of protection for war. The
president himself appears to favor this
view. Would he thcr, be willing TO
abolish the American tariff to avoid
war. We know he has already commit
ted himself to the position that the
American tariff is outside of tho sconc
OF amy such international machinery.
"Theu there is the question OF ter
rltory another fruitful cause of war.
The Americans oppose the Monroe
Doctrine to the German desire for ex
hansion in the new world Would
they be prepared at the bidding Of
a league of nations TO abandon the
MONROE Doctrlnc
"These are two questions which
seem to US to constitute practical
test. If the United States will not
sacrifice these two buwarks of her
territorial and economic security for
the alternative form of security Of
fered under the leagu4 of nations. it
* prha AZ
pect other nations. which are more
immediately and more imminentlv
threatened, to make even greater
sacrifices of their security"
The Evening STAR also Liberal
paper, says:
Mr. Wilson does not speak the jar
gon of the old diplomacy. He must be
crusader for these things whatever
1t costs. Pretty grim, isn't it? Here
IS a man who means what he says.
lie is not prepared to accept a sham
league. new Holy Alliance. The
league he demands is real league.
not humbug like the Hague Tribunal.
The league is to be an instrument Of
democracy, not a league of bureaucrats.
aristocrats and plutocrats. Its busines
Is TO carry out the orders of the PLAIN
people, sick of wars
Prophecy Fulfilled
The Daily News says:
The prophecy has been fulfilled to-
day in measure beyond anything of
which Canning could have dreamed. for
he lived in the days when the doctrine
of American isolation from the affairs
Of Europe seemed an irrevocable law,
but the law has been broken and can
never be restored. It is fitting that
the proposal for this covenant of hu-
manity should have been made by the
President of the United States
The Manchester Guardian" says:
"There is remarkable passage in
President Wilson's address which re-
veals his whole mentality and view
point. Nobody can understand him
and his policy who does not realize
that he is democrat. first and fore
most. To his mind the function OF il
state man is to influence, no doubt. but
in the last resort to embody and give
effect to the will Of the mass of his
fellow countrymen.
He does not regret this He wei
comes 1t and acts accordingly. Il is
this which is az the root of his hatred
and reprobation of secret diplomacy.
Cont j11ned on 37e,.f ,,on,