Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-05-02
WILSON NO LONGER
lDOLIZED ABROAD;
HIS PRESTIGE LOST
Presidents Ideals Have CIashed
With European Ambitions
and Europe Is Vexed
By Z. c. Brainerd In the Brooklyn
Eagle, April rs, 1919

dispatches from the Peace Conference
make 1t evident that President Wilson
will leave Europe with far less popu-
lar acclaim among foreign nations
than that with which he was received
last December. By the same token,
many of his friends here believe that
criticism in Europe is likely to add to
his strength at home.
1t was inevitable in the minds of
most of those who attended the early
sessions of the Peace Conference that
the President should lose some of his
European popularity. 1t was almost
impossible that any man could main
tain 1t at such heights. There was
even something abnormal about it.
Particularly was this true in Italy,
where it was no uncommon thing for
people to burn candles in front of Mr..
Wilson'S picture. The cooling of Will
son sentiment in Italy, as reported to
Mr.. Hickok, the Eagles Paris corre-
spondent, by Americans returning
from that country, illustrates certain
sharp changes in public sentiment.
Because Of Italy's initial ardor the
shift in sentiment is peculiarly promi-
nent. But it exists elsewhere in some
what lesser degree, certainly in France,
and it is not necessarily a cause for
surprise.
World Ideals VS.. Local European
Problems
1t all grows chiefly put of the diff
Guilty of trying to adjust a set OF world
ideals to the local problems OF Europe.
When Europe first welcomed the Pres
ident and applauded his ideals, lifting
his popularity for the time above that
of even her own statesmen, it was evil
dent to those who looked ahead a bit
that such popularity among foreign
people could not last. The President
and bis peace principles were more
than welcome In Europe SO long as
they did not interfere with what the
Allies wanted out of the war. But it
was certain that when specifications
were presented and the various Euro
pean nations began to line up behind
their claims, Mr.. Wilson could not
keep his popularity with the foreign
masses at fever heat if be happened to
block the road.
And he has blocked the road. This
is notably true of Italy, where it was
once said that the President could
bring about the overturn of the gov
eminent with a word or a gesture. It
is true also Of France and of Japan,
and, to some extent, of Great Britain.
Just as soon as any Wilson ideal or
principle doomed in the path of some
definite thing that a European nation
wanted, the President began to suffer a
relapse in popularity. 1t was not diff
icult for foreign statesmen to rally
home opinion behind the proposition
of. getting something solid and tangible
out of the Peace Conference. In the
case Of Italy it was merely necessary to
say: "We want and need Fiume and
the President will not let us have it.D
That Immediately put the President
in a different light among the Italians.
He was keeping something away from
them, something to which they felt en-
titled as a reward. They forgot the
ideals for which he stood and concen-
possession of Fiume.
Waning Process Began Weeks
Ago
The waning of the Presidents pOpu-
larity abroad had become apparent
even before he left France on his flying
visit to the United States. There we're
murmurings in Great Britain; hints Of
too much Wilson in Peace Conference
affairs. There were cynicisms from
French statesmen and in the Paris
press. The japanese were beginning
to frame demands that did not accord
with the general scheme Of a Wilson
peace. Much began to be heard on the
subject Of Fiume, from italian quar-
tiers. All this very naturally began to
sap Wilson's popular strength in for
eign countries.
Very likely the President could have
kept more popularity than he has if
he had seen fit to aband don his ideals.
But he stood by them; at least, to a
large degree. Here and there be was
forced into notifications and n
sions, but in the main he stuck to his
program.
American Position Not UNDER
stood
1t is probable that there would not
be so much irritation ia Europe if the
President was trying to get land or
money or some other article of ordi-
nary value for the United States. Eu-
rope could understand such an atti-
tude, and while it would fight for it's
cum Shaxa II r.o.id La.