Evening star., 1919-02-23

drawing back III England among the
English people. comparable q little to
the change in France, and in both
cases. growing out of increasing
eagerness to have done with this war
become not the least burdensofne de-
tail. If Mr.. Wilson should come back
from America resolved to exercise his
influence in the direction of a quick
settlement based upon a reasoned and
comprehending estimate of the facts
in the present situation. if he should
come back determined to finish the
war with Germany by making a new
German attack impossible. il he
should come back as a champion Of
French security. as q defender Of
Polish existence. as the spokesman OF
Czechosiovak integrity. as the propo-
nent of Jugoslavic independence. as
yet be the greatest OF any living man
In making of just peace.
But. by contrast. If Mr. Wilson
comes back in the same mood in
which he came to Europe more than
two months ago, surrounded by the
people for whom the single question
was not what the situation really
was. but what the President thought
1t to be, if he should come back still
dedicated to the pursuit Of the abb
stract. and, above all. if his com ing
back results in the postponement of
a settlement with Germany, which
has been too long postponed al
ready. we shall have another feeling
In Paris, and we shall again have TO
face, possibly, the fact that what WAS
won on the battlefield may be lost
around the green table.
President Has Worked Hard.
one should be fair in stating The
facts I doubt if any one ever
worked harder at any task than Mr..
Wilson has worked at his seif-im-
posed duty at the Paris conference.
He has neither spared himself. nor
in any degree avoided the RESPONSE
biiities Of his position. He has worked
for his league of nations with a sin
gleness of purpose which will remain
noteworthy He has not Iabored for
a specific plan for the league of ma
tions. As / have frequently said, the
document which has arrived owes
far more TO the English than to
Americans. but for the idea of the
league OF nations, he has labored
incassantly and arduoussy. III the
league of nations shall prove a sue
cess I do not think later historical
estimate viii subtract anything from
the credit due to Mr. Wilson.
But, on the other hand, am anxious
to give some idea Of what has ac-
tually happened in Paris. what dis
turbing and conflicting currents of
opinion have been looged. what dan
gers have been risked, alike within
and without, the conference, and
what great problems remain not only
unsoived, but daily, through post
ponement of the solution, becoming
more menaeing-
afr. Wilson came to Europe, hailed
In France and England and in Italy
as no foreigner has ever been vel
coined. L do not think his best
friends would feel that he goes away
carrying with him the aame influence
in any one of these three great allied
countries, nor do think this change
is due to any essential hostility to
Mr.. Wilson'S idea of the league of
nations, but rather to growing ap-
prehens;on that the force of Mr. VIII
sons personality and the accident of
his power at the present time are
combining to bring about in fact,
a fundamental problem. which is to
have done with Germany. to have
peace with Germany which will ncs
be a prelude to another war like the
past, TO prevent Germany from Win
ming the last war by emerging from
it greater in territory and population.
having ini,icted fatal injuries upon
her enemies. injuries fatal because
she herself is spared the cost of her
devastations and her destruction.
Copy right, 1919. Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate,