The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-15
superheated Idealism Gives Way to
\, American Common Sense.

The frauds and false pretences of
superheated idealism are being swept
away by the irresistible rising tide of
American common sense. The de-
~moralizing doctrine of flabby inter-
snationalism preached by WOODROW
WILSON has been overthrow by the
impact of sound, unadulterated,
simon-pure nationallsm. The utopian
visions seen by those who shut their
eyes to the facts cannot be palmed off
as accurate pictures of the world in
which we live, cannot deceive men and
women whose idealism is based ON
the solid foundation of knowledge and
experience.
Mr.. WILSON depicted to his fellow
citizens an earth whose peoples were
not interested in their own CONNER
cial welfare and politically were al
truistic in the affairs of their neigh
bors. His fellow citizens looked about
them and saw the living peoples striv-
ing for self-advancement in industry
and in trade, zealously and jealousy
promoting their own political prosper
fly. The fact smashed the vision. The
American people, ruled by common
sense in their generosity and attach
ment to high ideals, recognized the
truth. They refused to be fooled by
fine words and high phrases.
NAthtHor hot ha ID
for the United States and the world
than the collapse of WOODROW Will
SONS fantastic edifice of dreams.
Nothing Is more dangerous for the
peace of the world than the treatment
of international problems without
heed to the facts. Nothing more
surely breeds bad feeling, recrimina-
ton, the appeal to force between in
dividuals or between States than does
the ignoring of the habits, the llmita-
lions, the passions imposed on men
by race or nationality. Nothing pro-
yokes i'll will more surely than does
Intervention in the Affairs of a for
eign nation by those unacquainted
with the prejudices of Its population
and the peculiar facts of its exist
ence, whether that Intervention
springs from good will or from Off
ciousness or from an incurable de-
sire to NEEDLE. =
Already the bad fruit of Mr.. VIII
!, SONS personally defined idealism is
ripening in Europe. Complaint is
made that Americans bearing vague
commissions or no commissions at all
have been interfering in the age long
habits of European countries and lee
turing the children of centuries of
civilization. The Wilson policy of
dabbling In other peoples business is
producing It's inevitable results.
This futile and dangerous policy is
opposed to the disposition of America.
Its practical application to the affairs
of the world would never have been
attempted had Mr.. WILSON conformed
bis conduct to the ideals and the tenn
per of the nation which repudiated
him and which he misrepreseuted in
Paris. The follies and the perils of
his trips abroad came from his vio-
lent and selfish disregard of the
wishes of America. To build up and
10 sustain the myth Of a magician
Wilson righting with a word the
wrongs of all mankind, curing with
d phrase evils ages old, setting straight
With happy sentence injustices that
for centuries had baked the most hui
name and enlightened administrators,
Mr.. WILSON disregarded the verdict
of the voters and magnified his power
until the higher power of the Ameri-
can people was hidden by his exag-
gerated shadow. He got the applause
be wanted in Europe, but the whole
Structure of his creation has crashed
down about him under the operation
Of the supreme authority of American
common sense.