Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-08-07

The following article, giving the
writer's impressions Of American opin-
ion in Europe as he found 1t, is by
William j. Mentally. special cores
pondent Of the Minneapolis Tribune,
and was emit from Berlin:
There is small band Of Americans
now in Europe who alone, Of ali
Americans, have had an opportunity
to study the subject Of shrouded Eu-
rope-and by shrouded Europe I
Their opinions present a singular and
impressive unanimity. Their constant
talk concentrates itself upon the VIII
sonian adventure into world politics.
And their conclusions, which because
of. their situation, should have an in
finite value to Americans back home
and denied their opportunity, have
unhappily, but for obvious reasons,
enjoyed not the faintest publicity.
1t happens that the only Americans
now permitted to travel in Northern
Europe are newspapermen, magazine
men. military men, Red Cross men.
and Y. NJ. c. A. men. Magazine men
and newspapermen cannot express
their views because journalistic GUS
tom forbids them to "editorialize.''
Military men cannot because, army or
ders prevent. Red Cross men cannot
because organization rules pevent.
Y. M. c. A. men cannot because of the
same obstruction.
Eager to Give Message.
Yet this band has a message and
q burning message. They sit talk
ing by the hours at night and exclaiYn:
III only the people back home could
see what we see! II they could only
get the perspective IN Europe that
first hand study gives! Then there
would be no danger that America
should make a fatal mistake by re-
versing its foreign policy"
What they feel on the subject Of
h Wilsonian adventure they feel
with a burning intensity that would
amaze perhaps, the people in the Uni
ted States.
They constitute a unit in declaring
that Americans back home have a
wholly distorted and inaccurate pic
ture of Northern Europe.
Now whether America knew thor
oughly European politics and Euro
! pean conditions or whether it did not
would normally be the most trifing
and inconsequential of questions.
But at the present moment it is at
tanning a supreme importance.
Walks into Danger Blindly.
For within a few weeks America
must make up her mind finally
whether she will take the great step,
separating herself from the past, and
embark upon the hitherto unsailed
never vas a time in Americas history
when it was so essential that America
possess the most complete, the most
exhaustive, and the most unbiased
view of European politics. And
there never was a time in her history
when her equipment was so imperfect,
so grotesque, and SO distorted as it lie
at present. This point is probably as
difficult to grasp in America as it il
Americans over here are studing the
steps Of America with concern that
at moments approaches panic and a
larm. The American over here, ex-
aiming and exploring a quicksand, the
treacheries Of which they appreciate
only too keenly. see their own coun
try, ,blindfolded apparently, walking
straight into the danger one with a
child like confidence that it has at last
the right direction. .
"Stay Out of Europe"
Stay ont of Europe. Oh. Stay out
Of Europe"
That Is the universal imploring cry
which echoes and re-echoes in the
now studying Northern Europe. That
cry I have encountered everywhere. I
encountered ut in Stockholm. I en-
c%ountered 1t in Copenhagen. 1 encoun-
tered it in Berlin. I got it from men
who had just come out of Poland, from
men who had just come out of Russia,
from men who had just come out Of
Czecho-Slovakia. 1 got it from men
who had just come out of Hungary
who had come out Of Jugo-Slava and
Austria.
Keep out of Europe, America! You
have not the faintest conception of
the ~treacheous waters yau are embark
ing upon. You have no notion of the
real situation owe here. You have in
herited mostly propagandized informa-
ton that does no give you the true
picture: Do not permit yourself to get
mired in the swamp which is a hun
dred times more sinister Inc more
dangerous than you imagine"
This perhaps best summarizes the
feeling that is most commonly voiced.
Unpfepared for Peace. .. =.
came to a close with rather unex-
pected abruptness. Cessation Of fight
ing caught America as unprepared for
peace as she had BEE for war. OBJ
viously, It was necessary that the Pres
ident should sign a treaty Of peace
which would guarantee the fruits Of
the victory. That Mr.. Wilson would do
this everybody expected. But 1t soon
became clear that Mr.. Wilson had
thing vastly more ambitious. It soon
became clear that he had decided to
reyolutionize the entire structure Of in
ternational relationships. Out Of his
own head he had evolved a grandiose
and spectacular plan for abolishins
future wars.
The position of Mr.. Wilson was on
the whole rather anomalous The
American people had given him no in
lean Congress had given him no man.
date ito create. a league of nations
But he had himself hit upon this un-
preced4nted idea and had decided ia
carry It into action. This astonishing
man cody departed from Washington,
locking UP the past, present and future
policy ofsAmerica in his satchef, wrap
ped up the entire destiny Of America,
80 to speak. like an APPLE. and took
it over with him TO Europe to do with
1t what he choes. The impudence OF
such, an, act was magnificent. An i'm
mense amount of feeling that would
NORMALLY have been hostility was held
in Allowance by the respect for the
avowed good he had sought to estab.
lish. This goal was the abolition OF
war. Sentimentalists and humanita-
Rams were inclined to believe that all
criticism should be withheld until, al
least, he had been given a fair chance.
OF all the nations represented al
Paris 1t was America that stood ia