The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-25

can soldiers were not trained long
enough, said: "It takes only half
as long to train an American SOL
dier as any other, because you only
have to train him one way and he
did only go one way. and he never
came back until he could do 1t when
he pleased"
Confidence Imposes Burden.
And now do you realize that this
confidence We have established
throughout the world imposes a
burden upon us-if you choose to
call 1t a burden. II is one OF those
burdens which any nation ought to
be proud to carry. Any man who
resists the present tides that run
in the world will find himself
thrown upon a shore SO high and
barren that II will seem as II he
had been separated from his human
kind forever.
The Europe that I left the other
day was full OF something that it
had never felt AL It's heart so full
before. It was full of hope. The
Europe Of the second year Of the
war, the Europe of the third year
of the war. was sinking to a SORT
OF stubborn desperation. They did
not see any great thing to be
achieved even when the war should
be won. They hoped there would
be some salvage: they hoped that
they could clear their territories OF
invading armies; they hoped they
could set up their homes and start
their industries afresh, but they
thought It would simply be the re-
sumption of the old life that
Europe had led--led in fear. led in
anxiety. led in constant suspicious
watchfulness. They never dreamed
that II would be Europe Of settled
peace and OF justified hope.
Buoycd Up with Hope.
And now these ideals have
wrought this new magic, that all
the peoples OF Europe are buoyed
up and confident in the spirit of
hope, because they believe that we
are at the eve Of now age in the
world when nations will understand
one. another, when -Ratioqs-;Mill sup
port one another in every Just cause
when nations will unite every moral
and every political strength TO see
that the right shall prevail.
II America were at this juno
ture TO fail the world. what would
- 10 10 4 lln
respect to any other great people
when ! say that America is the
hope OF the world; and II she does
not Justify that hope the results are
unthinkable. Men will be thrown
back upon the bitterness Of disap-
pointment not only but the bitter
ness of despair.
All nations will be set up as hos
tile camps again: the men at the
peace conference will go home with
their heads upon their breasts.
knowing that they have failed-for
they were hidden not TO come home
from there until they did something
more than sign a treaty Of peace.
Suppose we sign the treaty OF
peace and that II is the most salts
factory treaty OF peace that the
confusing elements of the modern
world will afford and go home and
think about our labors, we will
know that We have left written
upon the historic table at Yer
sailles, upon which Nergennes and
Benjamin Franklin wrote their
names. nothing but a modern scrap
OF paper; no nations united TO de-
fend il, no great forces combined to
make II good, no assurance given to
the downtrodden and fearful people
OF the world that they shall be safe.
! Any man who thinks that America
will take part in giving the world
any such rebuff and disappointment
as that does not know America.
IhvitatiOn 10 n Test.
invite him to test the senti-
ments OF the nation. We set this
confine our conception and purpose
TO America, -SAs~now we will max :
| men free. II we did not do that the
| fame of America would be gone and
! all her powers would be dissipated.
! She then would have to keep her
power for those narrow selfish,
provincial PURPOSES which seem so
dear to some minds that have no
sweep beyond the nearest horizon.
should welcome no sweeter
challenge than that. have fight
ing blood in me, and Il Is some
times a delight to let 1t have scope,
but II It Is a challenge on this oc-
casion it will be an indulgence,
Think OF the picture, think OF the
utter blackness that would fall on
the world. America has failed
America made a little essay at gen
erosity and then withdrew. Amer
lea said: I'VE are your friends" but
II was only for to-day. not for to-
morrow. America said: Here Is
our power to vindicate right" anC
then the next day said: Let right
take care OF itself and we will take
care of ourselves" America said
I'VE set up a fght to lead mer
along the paths OF liberty, but we
have lowered it; 1t Is intended only
to light our own path" We set UT
a great ideal of liberty and ther
we said: Liberty is a thing thai
l you must win for yourself. Do not
call upon U.s." and think OF the
world that we would leave. Do you
realize how many new nations are
going TO be set up in the presencs
OF old and powerful nations in Eu.