New-York tribune., 1919-01-06
Hou Does Mr..
Wilson Know?

Sir: In his speech before the French
Chamber of Deputies this week Premier
Clemenceau said: There is an old system Of
alliances called the balance of power .
This system Of alliances, which I do not
renounce, will be my guiding thought at
the peace conference. If your confidence
sends me there" The Premier modestly
stated that the urging of his suggestion
would be dependent on the vote of conf
dence Of the Chamber of Deputies. That
body gave him vote of confidence which
carried with it the assurance that the
people of France, as whole, were in ac-
cord with their great Premier.
On the following day at Manchester
President Wilson said: "lf the future had
nothing for us but new attempt to keep
the world at a right poise by a balance OF
power, the United States would take no in
terest, because she wiU join no combine
ton of poaoers achich is not d combination
of oil Of u.s." How does the President know
that the United States will "join no combna-
ton of powers which is not to his personal
liking? The one source to which he could
look for expression Of the feeling Of
the people, the one source to which the
people may and do in limitless numbers
convey their opinions, is the Congress, and
this body the President has treated with
effrontery and discourtesy. The people in
this country who take an active interest in
its welfare are in constant touch by CORE
spondence and personal contact with their
Senators and Representatives in Congress,
and slight to that body in regard to the
matter Of negotiations leading up to the
11t ON, ,f Of
effect q slight to the people of the country
as whole.
The President is urging the adoption or
principles which he himself approves o.
but which in measure are at variance With
the principles advocated by the French
Premier, and the President is not in
position to know whether the people OF this
country approve of our having differences
of opinion with the French people or not
The idea of league Of nations is con-
turies old. 1t has been considered after
more shan one war in the past, but has
never proved possible OF attainment Il IS
an idea that can be attained only with the
acquiescence of the peoples of all the ma
tions concerned, and to try to carry out
such an idea without knowing whether the
majority of ali the peoples concerned de-
sire Is and consent to its application is to
create what Mr.. David Jayne Hill calls, in
the current number of "The North Amcri-
can Review "a mutipex imperialism
Apparently the question o, acquiesccnce
of the people was one of prime importance
to Premier Clemenceau, who has received
the vote Of confidence of his Chamber OF
Deputies. The question of scquiescence,
however, to Mr.. Wilson. who has been re-
proved, not to say discredited, by the vote
OF his country. IS apparently Of no conse-
quencc. and the attitude of our Congress
is OF still less Importance
The question of the practicability OF a
league of nations. in so far as we in this
country know what the President has in
mind, is one on which many of our able
men are at variance with the President.
If by the words combination of sll of u.s.
he means to include Germany in the league
OF nations, there will be immense, if not
universal, opposition. He has described
Germany an outlaw. Under our system
OF government an outlaw is deprived of the
rights OF citizenship and may not exercise
the right of franchise. Shall the German
nation, after its unheard OF crimes, be
granted leniency which the individual is re-
fused?
If the league of nations can be brought
about terms acceptable to the French
people, all we'll and good but if not, are We
who have suffered as result of the war so
little in comparison to France to ssv
though President "Americs will not
join France in any solution of present
problems unless it meets with the personal
approval, or, we might say, whim, of our
President?
The methods of the Premier of France
and our President in approaching this sub
jeet are in sharp contrast, and it would
seem from present indications that the idea
of a 'multiplex Imperialism" is quite to
Mr.. Wilson's taste.
DAVID II. TAYIoRsN
New. York, Jan. 2, isi9