The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-25

THE Europe that I left the other
day was full of something that 1t nao
never FELT FIJI its heart So full before:
II was full of hope. The Europe or
the second year of the war. the europe
OF the third year of the war, was SINK
ing to IA sort of stubborn desperation.
ssThe, did NOT see any great thing
10 be achieved even when the war
should be won. They hoped there
would be some salvage: they hoped
that they would clear their terri
tories OF invading armies; they hoped
hey could set up their homes ana
start their industries afresh But
they thought II would simply be the
resumption of the old life that
Europe had lcd--led in fear. led in
anxiety, led In constant suspicious
watchfulness They never dreamed
that IL would be a Europe of settled
peace and OF justified hope.
And now these ideals have wrought
this nesg magic thai all the peoples
lof Europe arc huoyed mr. and conf
lent in the spirit Of hope because
they believe that We are at the eve
of a new age in the world when ma
lions will understand one another,
when nations will support one another
in every iust cause, when nations viii
.nite every moral and every physical
strength 10 see thai The right shall.
prevail
Hope OF the World.
.Tf America were at this jurcture
o fall the world what would come OF
1T? / do not mean any dlsrespect TO
any other great people whom / saw
| that America is the hope OF the world
i and II she does not justify that hope
the results are unthinkahle. Men will
be thrown back upon the bitterness
of DISAPPOINTMENT not OILY. bot the
5ttterness of despair. All nations WAL
he set up as hostile camps again; the
men at he peace conferences will go
! home with their heads upon their
breasts. knowing that they have failed
for they were hidden not 10 come
home from there untii they did some
thing more than sign treaty oil
peace.
"suppose we sign the treaty OF
mace and that II is the most salts
factory treaty of peace that the con-
furing elements Of the modern woric
viii afford and go home and think
about our labors, we will know thai
we have left written upon the ms
toric table at Versailles, upon whicr
vergennes and Benjamin FRANKLIN
wrote their names, nothing but q
| modem ECTHD OIL PdpGi Nv sa'eAD'''
united 70 defend 1t. no great forces
combined to make it good, no assur'
ance given to the downuodden anc
fearfui people of the world that they
snail be & fe.
ANY man who thinks that America
will ,axe part In giving the worle
any such rebuff and disappointment
as that does not know America In
vito him to fest the sentiments or int
nation. We set this nation up tf
| make mon FREQ and we did not confinf
our conception and purpose te
| America and now VIC will make EaeI
free. II we did not do thai All me
tayne OF America We nd be gone ant
! 81, her pew"r~ would q alsiha,eu
She would then have to Keep noi
mower for those narrow. selfish
provincial purposes, which seems 81
/ dear 10 some minds that nave nc
| sweet bcyon the nearest horizon.
, ~ should welcome no sweeter ahai-
ilenes than THAI I have fighting
shlood I'm me, and 1t In sometimes Q
idelicht 10 let II have scope. but II !,
tts a Challenge on this occasion II vii.
he an Indulgence. Thing of tho pic
lure, think OF the utter blackness
that would fall on the world.
America Fail: Never!
, America has fniled. Amefica h"oe
n little essay ut generosity ana tnen
withdrew. America said we ara your
friends but It was only for today not
for tomorrow. kfnerica said here
In our great power TO vindicate right
and then the next day said let the
right take care OF itself and we VIII
take care OF ourselves America
said we set up a little to lend men
along The paths of liberty. but we
have lowered 1t, IS only intended only
TO light our own path.
I'VE set up "a great ideal of liberty
end then We said liberty ia u thing
hat You must win for yourself Do
not call upon as" And think OF the
world that we would leave. :.
"Da You realize how many new
nations are going 70 he set up in the
pyeSence ef old aud powerful nations