Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-01-17
MUST SHOW
FOREIGN STATESMEN
He IS PRACTICAL
His Task is to Convince Them
His Ideals Can BE Made Work.
able

Paris, December 18th, {Mail)-While
the populace of France has been inter-
esting itself In the human aspects of
Woodrow Wilson, the Allied statesmen
with whom be must transact the busi-
ness of peace are subjecting him to q
searching scrutiny to learn whether he
is a practical man. They know that
he Is the worlds foremost spokesman
for idealism. They want to know
Whether he is able to make his ideals
accom- plished facts; whether he has a
program that will translate into deeds
the great word pictures that he has
painted before the eyes Of humanity.
If the President does not prove him
self to be a practical man in the judg-
ment of Allied statesmen, he cannot
hope for the success of his ideals. No
matter how excellent his intentions,
they will go for little unless he can
back them up With a working program.
At this day it is already known that
the President has a program. He has
a plan for the league of nations and q
plan for the freedom of the seas. These
plans are unquesiionably subject to
change; they are adaptable to circum-
stances that may arise. Peace-maklng
Is a give-and-take affair, and no nation
will get all that it demands. But the
President foresaw that he must not
come to Paris without a program,
which would serve as a basis for Amer
lean negotiations; so he brought one.
Is Dealing with Practical Men
In the negotiations now in progress,
which, though outwardly Informal, are
the most important that will be held,
the President is dealing with men who
are eminently practical. They are less
associated with idealism than he. Each
is determined to obtain what he can for
his own country. Their peoples fought
for self preservation and also for ma
terial gain, aud not for a league Of ma
lions or for freedom of the seas. Those
were matters that were brought into
the Val by the American President.
He stands as their sponsor. 1t is up TO
him to show how they can be realized.
There will be no league worthy of the
name, unless Mr.. Wilson can show how
it is to be organized and managed.
Those negotiations, necessarily, are the
greatest test of Wilson craftsmanship,
Wilson influence and Wilson practical
ly. Hitherto, at home, the President
has done business with men Of lesser
stature and power tn an himself. Today,
he is dealing with men who are his
equals, who speak for great nations,
just as he speaks for one.
Powerful at the peace table and of
dominating personality, sits Clemen-
ceau, the French Premier; a man of
rigid opinions, of courage and of stub
borness. Clemenceau is distinctly a
conservative. He has never given him.
self TO the idealism found in the utter
ances and acts of the American Pres
ident. He is a practical man, if ever
one was, hard-headed to the last de-
gree. Clemenceau will have to be
shown, when it comes to putting ideals
into practice. He stands for France
first and last; not for internationalism,
unless it be a secondary consideration
that will not interfere with the aims of
France.
LIOyd-GeOrge an OppOrtunist
Lloyd-G George of England, while of a
distinctly different type, is none the
less practical in his craftsmanship. He
has the record of q successful oppor-
tunist. He is a politician aud a manip-
ulator OF rare skill. He is adaptable
to circumstances, but he will never
forget that the welfare of his own
country is his first and foremost con-
Germ, either in peace or war.
Orlando, Premier of Italy, and Son.
nino, the Italian Foreign Minister, are
other practical statesmen with whom
Mr.. Wilson must deal. Like the
French and British leaders, they came
into power as the result of strong ma
tional sentiment in their home country
which was so necessary to the winning
Of the war. They are for making the
enemy pay his heavy toll, and this con-
sideration always comes ahead OF ideal
ism.
In meeting and talking with these
men, President Wilson Is undoubtedly
discovering that they have clearly de-