Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-12-08
Monday, December 3, 1919.
Visions.

visionary to fanatic. President VIII
son had a vision. There was . splen-
dor about it. The applause that
greeted his first performances under
the spell of it may have gone to hts
head; appears to have done 50; ana
II 80 that is not TO be wondered at
though, sad to relate, arrogance is
readily born of such a condition.
Ones feet must be considered. and
not the stars alone. If one be walking
among pitfalls.
President Wilson assumed to speak
for the people Of this country. The
spirit Of league venture was their
spirit. Daily this is being confirmed
by expressions Of public opinion in
all parts of the country. But the
Presidents assumption that he alone
knew what was needed, that such in
strument as he might approve would
be unqualinedly accepted by his peo-
ple-well he was not considering the
ground beneath his feet at that mo-
ment.
Now that the ground has assert
ed itself is he to spit upon 1t and
throw his vision aside or follow it to
the undoing not only Of himself but Of
the vision as well? It would seem
so when his senate leader and
spokesman states that nothing will
be done with the treaty for the pres
ent, this treaty which he 50 recently
urged must be adopted Immediately,
this treaty. delay Of which co9tinues
and aggrava4es the unrest Of the
world.
Has President Wilson's splendid
vision become a mirage of megalo-
mania? Il he a fanatical idolator Of
double faced IDOL, one face Of which
is the League Of his dream, a
League Of fiction rather than fact:
Or-to descend from the sublime 70
ttfc IIVtCQSO0c" uS PtAyAho PSAaSAS0
And here is another vision. that OF
Senator Fernald, IL we are to credit
his interview in the Lewiston Jour-
nal Friday evening, from which we
take the following:
when asked what he thought
would be done with the League OF
Nations by congress during the pres
eat session. Senator Fernald said
that In his judgment the League IL
dead. He felt that the old treaty
with Germany would be revived and
that the two countries would &c
along as before the war.
What Of the other countries
what will they do?" he was asked.
Il suppose they will have a little
League of their own and be happy
was the reply.
It is the judgment of Senator Fer.
nald that the imperative need Of
the time is for congress to take hole
OF present economic conditions II
the country. 1t ought to enact laws
which will bring about a better liv'
ing condition. He said that in hi
opinion the first step is to revise thu
present revenue producing laws. L
seems to him that these were large.
iy responsible for much Of the pre-.
ent high cost Of living. and that M
relief could be had until there wa.
a revision.
So this is Senator Fernald's vision
Other nations. England. France. Italy
Japan, South America. Canada and
possibly Germany and Russia ant
Mexico Germanized, "a little League
of their own and be happy" and th'
United States and her Monroe Doc
trine which couldn't possibly func
ton under such conditions. happ!
too? Or has this talk about thu
Monroe Doctrine all been bunk?
One almost might infer from thu
Senator'S interview that there hat
been no war, or at worst only lit
tie one; that there is none now. ant
Germany saying Il will and won't
as though she, too. had forgotten
about the war: that anyhow the wal
was a little affair and the millioni
who died in it were a negligible fac
tor and a revenue law here or there
is a panacea for any slight uneasines!
we may happen to feel; that treatie!
are scraps of paper-but why go on
Senator Fernald does not mean that
any such inference should be made
from what he said. He is an honoret
American citizen Of the State o.
Maine: and for that matter Woodrow
Wilson, President OF the United
States, is an American. even II al
times bewildered by unAmericaz
theories. a distinguished gentleman
who undoubtedly believes he il doinf
HRS best and sacrificing himself 70,
the country that has honored him.
Yet both can't be right in thei,
contentious. and both may be some.
what right and somewhat wrong
When such as they realize this. de.
eide to reason together" as mer
should. their country will have them
10 thank as she should thank those
who do their duty.
The "hush. hush" army in Germany