Evening journal., 1919-08-14

The American people are swinging
back TO Americanlsm.
The national repudiation OF Wood
row Wilson and his personal project
to submerse America in the League
or NatlOns means more than the for
NAL rejection OF the mere plan itself
u means more than the rescue Of
American interests and American in
dependence from m0mentary peril. It
means more than the escape OF Amer
lean freedom from intemationalism
and supcrsovereignty.
10 means That yirile Amerlcanism
has driven out of popular idealism
tho false doctrines Of foreign superb
orlty which for a quarter Of a cen
tury were sedulously taught and wide
ly accepted in the United states. It
means that old fashioned confidence i'm
The might, the intelligence and the
destiny OF the republic has been firmly
reestablished in minds only a little
while ago led astray by false teaching
into a wilderness Of doubt and timid
questioning
For this triumph Of patriotic sentl-
ment, firmly based on history and the
contempOraneOus records of American
accomplishment. the war did some
thing 10 revealed Us TO ourselves an
essentially homogeneous people. 10 dis
closed to us our unlimited capacity for
cooperation when the times call for
cooperation. II made apparent TO us
our physical strength. II disclosed 10
MS our national and personal adaptabil-
tty. IL aroused understanding Of our
united strength
To 10, also, the exposure Of Wood
row Wilson and his plans has likewise
contributed The American elector-
ate. recording the measured Judgment
OF the American population voted lack
of confidence In Mr. Wilson in the No
vember elections OF 1918 The ballots
cast then. served notice on the world
that Mr.. Wilson did not speak for his
fellow countrymen. Mr. Wilson re-
fused 10 abide by the result Of The !
election. He went to Europe proclaim |
ing himself the moulhpiece Of a united |
citizenship q unanimously indorsing the /
projects he put forward lie neglect !
ed no opportunity TO assert the repre- |
sentative character he coveted.
Europe listened, believed and ac-
cepted Mr.. Wilson at his own valua-
tion. Europe could not understand
how Americans could refuse 10 accept
him in the same way The reception
given to him shook some Americans.
The old habit Of doubt OF the integrity
of their own methods and conclusions
was still strong in a few citizens But
Che overwhelming majority stuck by
their own opinion Of Mr. Wilson and
waited patiently for its vindication.
That vindicaiion was not long de-
layed The crumblng Of Mr.. Wilson's
edince of international idealism took
place before the eyes of Europe.
Europe saw Mr.. Wilson pitch "open
covenants openly arrived at" inconii-
nenIy out Of the window. Europe saw
MIR Wilson drop freedom Of the seas
quietly into the waste basket Europe
saw Mr.. Wilson bend "self-determina-
ton of peoples" To meet the eXigen-
cies Of political eXpediency in the case
OF Fiume. Europe saw Mr. Wilson
traffic with the Bolsheviki while Amer
lean soldiers were lighting Bolshevik
soldiers Europe saw Mr.. Wilson
cynic ny abandon China 90 It's fate
against The protests Of his own self
chosen colleagues. Europe saw Mr.
Wilson destroy his own programme.
and as 10 saw 10 began 10 understand
the altitude Of the American people
as set forth by the voters OF this
country in 1918.
As Mr. Wilson's self-revelation pro
crossed in Europe, European opinion
shifted. Wonder over the refusal TO
give Mr.. Wilson the vote OF confidence
he coveted was replaced by admira-
ion for the INSIGHT Of the American
people. As Mr. Wilson's stock went
ioWn on exposure to the analysis of
public inspection American stock
vent mp. The soidity and stability Of
american public opinion were esiab-
ished when the rocco embellishments
1f Mr.. Wilson's rhetoric were mercl-
essly stripped from his sleazy ideal
SIN.
This process had its inevitable reac-
lion i'm This country Those who
stunned by the warmth Of Mr. Wilson's :
reception in Europe, had been tempted >
10 suggest revision Of the domestic
appraisal OF the quality OF his states Z
overcame their temporary in
decision The overwhelming majority
accepted with composure this unpar-
Iisan and disinterested ratification OF