The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-08-07
THE NECESSITY OF FREE ACTION.

united DLdLeS ndu Deen Lne pdyUnR OF IOTeSn ulpO
matte ntrguants in 1914 there is telling how cost.
the would have been for this country; if ther,
had been war, there is telling how great would
have been the bride paid to the Germans to withhold
their attack In the condition of mind which Germany
had reached with the emperor and people following the
vision of world dominion safe to say that war could
have been prevented unless Germanys intended vic
tins had surrendered Internationally without the firing
of shot
The United States turned the defeat of the allies into
victory by the exercise of American independence of will
and action Throughout the war the United States
immeasuraby strong because acted entirely upon its
own independent judgment. President Wilson quickly
interpreted the will of the American people to cooperate
with the allies without committing the country to their
ways their particular issues, and especially without
pooling" the American of intellect ma
teria Wherever America could lend hand without i'm
pairing its plan of victory, did If it had lent
hand in every case and in the requested there
would have ben no victory but fritterng away of the
resources of this nation in numerable minor adventures.
There was not nation in Europe that agreed with Pres
dent Wilson in his conduct of the and each sought
to induce him to favor it above all Others Yet he served
them thousand times effectively by pursuing his
own independent course than he would have done by
throwing away his plan end adopting any plan of theirs
What was true then is true concerning the propo-
ition to merge the independence of the United States
into the League of Nations The United States infinitely
more useful to free nations single complete organism
than it would be fettered member of general COM
mittee no member of which would have free will free
action
Once in the history of the world nation armed to the
teeth and bursting with ignorant egotsm attacked free
nations with the intention of destroying them. The result
was to draw down upon it the aihatng power of the
United States. This object lesson, in opinion, will
be needed for long time to by all wouldbe
1uerors of free peoples is not probable that there
will be any early necessity for another demonstration of
The ability of the United States to make If, how
this dsagreeabe necessity should arise the United
States will still be going concern and can easily repeat
it's performance provided always it has retained its full
freedom of will and action.
There difficult work to be performed in this country
in readjustng economic matters The country must be
free to do this work in its way Much of this prob
'em is purely domestic and would not within the
Jurisdiction of the League of Nations but other features
less International such the REIMBURSEMENT
of finances and the currency the regulation of tariffs and
shipping the migration of Individuals &c. In far as
the rights of the United States involved in these inter-
national questions the United States itself must safe
guard them They cannot safely be turned to any
International court, league council They Ameri
can rights They affect the welfare of every person in
The United States. How for example, the government
secure square deal to labor without keeping out the
Japanese and Germans and all other labor that might
ink America down? How can American labor be pro-
ected if the is to be forced to admit Ger
goods in overwhelming floods? How can the
United States collect the money due it if set of foreign
RS is to control international finance?
This nation is free. 1t can keep out the flood of
oOies and the flood of debased money and the flood of
Iuns and anarchists if it wills to do So 1t can protect
IS whites and blacks its rich and its poor its employers
nd employed by the free exercise of American common
ense and firm will determined by the majority of the
merican in its essence and not European Americans
now exactly what is but Europe had it and does
OF know what it is. In the freest of European nations
he governments make secret treaties and send the
eope to war against their will In the United States
he people would make short work of such govern
ent"
Americans evidently have hard task ahead of them in
1justng themselves and assisting other free peoples to
ct their bearings. Let them beware of tanglng them
lives up in bargains which will take away their freedom
will and action.--Washington Post
An inspired student of human nature has said that in