Omaha daily bee., 1919-01-03
By GEORGE w. WICKERSHAM.
Copyrighted 1919, ew York Tribune News


Dy 1GSNOC W.. w A~hSNSAAANA' IVA
Copyrighted 1919, ew York Tribune News
Service.
London, Jan. 2.-(Special Cable
gram to New York Tribune and
Omaha Bee.)-The presidents visit
to England has come to an end and
an appraisal of its results may now
be attempted. ,e..
Every American must be giatitled
by the character of his reception,
for the spontaneous outpouring OF
the people to greet him was hardly
personal. England felt no intimate
acquaintance with Mr.. Wilson and
he humorously referred to that fact
in one of his addresses.
The initial demonstrations at'least
were tribute to the great sister
nation overseas whose effective CO.
operation enabled the allies to de-
stroy the power of.Germany which
menacde their very existence,
French Welcome Frantic.
In France the greeting was some
thing more. France is war-weary.
1t yearns. for an end, including
peace. Frenchmen almost pathet-
ically looked to Mr.. Wilson for a
magic remedy which would remove
from them the fear of a recurrence
of the horrors which during four
and half years blighted their fair
fields, destroyed their picturesque
cities, consumed their youths and
maidens and threatened their civili-
sation. So they welcomed Presi-
dent Wilson with frantic, passiT-
ate and united enthusiasm.
The feeling of England was less
unmixed with doubt. Its outpour-
ing was more to the representative
than to the man. The conviction
that the existence of England de-
perids upon its mastery of the seas
is bred in the bone of every ,Briton
- England Raises Doubt.
The presidents proposal that the
terms OF peace shall insure all na-
tions absolute freedom Of nayiga-
tion. upon the seas outside OF terri
toriai waters alike in peace and war,
except as the seas may be closed II,
whole or in part by international
action for the enforcement of inter
national covenants" has awakened
in the mind of all England feeling
Of doubt and questinn as to its pre-
else meaning and disturbing ap-
prehension Of discord in the coming
peace conference. For it safely may
be predicted, that England never will
agree to conditions which it would
regard as national suicide. .
Makes Good Impression. -.
President Wilson's visit in large
measure dispelled : the feeling
aroused by his proposals concern
ing freedom Of the seas. Never has
he appeared to better advantage
than during his soiourn in this
country. He was pleasant. cordial
and frank in manner. His oratory
was delivered in that. quiet, re-
strained, cultivated tone which is the
ideal in England of public speaking.
Prominent Englishmen. describ-
ing the Guild Hail banquet, said the
president "acted into the picture
perfectly, as though he belonged
there"
He presented himself to the Eng
lish people as product OF English
tradition.
Speeches Ambiguous.
Though he has come to be ac-
cepted and judged by Englishren as
a man and not as syllogism, yet on
re-reading his various public utter
ances during bis visit, the conclusion
cannot be escaped that the president
has committed himself to few, if
any, definite positions. His speeches
were characterized by that same
pleasing ambiguity wherewitf we in
America have become familiar. The
same old phrases. human rights"
"community of purpose" coming
together in covenants of good WILL"
etc, recur with accustomed fire.
quency.
On. the other hand there has been
an ertire absence of dognatic state
ment. His attitude has been one. of
obvious effort to pease. His in
tilnstion of a willingness to seek
means of expressing in the peace
terms a practical way Of accomplish
ing aims, wherewith, he declared.
both Lloyd George and Clemen-
eeau were in agreement with him,
strongly conveyed the impression
that there were no essential diff
ferences between him and'the repre-
sentatives of other great powers as