Bisbee daily review., 1919-02-23


 dencel-Without doubt. the most in | teresting development since the close of the war has been the amazing in crease in the power and popularity ot President Wilson, and the accompany ing growth in the moral prestige of the American nation abroad.
 When the George Washington left Hoboken early in December, the air was dark with foreboding, The news paper press of the east was almost unanimously opposed to the presi- dents venture. Unpleasant rumors were afloat to the effect that the elder statesmen of the entente had no inten- tion of giving the American peace del egation anything to say at the confer ence, and that America wauld be hu- initiated through the repuffs that would be given the president, and the failure of his plans.
 Today, President Wilson is undoubt- ed master of the situation, and Amer ica, in consequence, holds a position in the worlds esteem that no nation ever held before; a position which we should prize and cherish above any material Advantage and which we should Strive to hold.
 Before l begin my analysis, it would perhaus be we'll to adopt the plan of Mark Sullivan and William Allen White, and explain that have never voted for President Wilson for any office. Why did the presidents critics have occasion to revise their judgments SO soon? Why was it that within a week after the arrival of the presidential pary in France, the air was cleared of all fear of any plots to elbow the United States out of any real partici- patton in the peace conference? And 0ow came it that the stock of our | country, as nation. went up another 50 points?
 Our Travelling SaIesman
 This is my personal view: that the resident not only won by his words
 nd bearing the respect and conf dence of thoughtful people and the .dOration of the masses; he also, to use an American colloQuialism, "sold' ] he United States to Europe as no ma ton had ever been placed before the world before. In other words, the president made his country look big ser and finer, and more generous and less selfish, and more willing to give disinterested service to mankind, than anyone else had ever aone.
 It seems to me that the best way 10 account for the presidents power is to remember that ms views and plans are always sane, moderate and fair, His vision and his grasp of de- tails are remarkable, He does not leave anything out of account. He cannot be swayed against one ally by another. Underlying his other quail ties is the determination that the whole world must be benefited by the coming peace; that small nations as well as large shall have what is right fully theirs, but no more.
 To France. shaken, broken and bleeding from four years of exhaust ing struggle. to England, tried to the utmost by the war, and to the aspiring small nations of Europe. America seems the vigorous young giant of the world. Unexhausted by the war, richer than all the other considerable powers combined. teeming with raw materials, liberal with credit, such is the Ameri- ca pictured before their eyes.
 Our Liberal Gifts
 America to them is the country whose people freely gave $750.000, ,000 for war relief work through the Red Cross, the Y. NJ. c. A. the Salvation Army, and Belgian relief commissions, to say nothing of host of other agen- cies. Perhaps our swings totaled a billion dollars. No other country ever contributed so much thrugh the free will offerings of private individuals.
 The American army in France has advertised our country we'll. Our men average head and shoulders taller than those about them in French towns: they are we'll dressed; we'll fed. com- fortable looking. and as a rule quiet and splendidly behaved. No soldiers ever fought more bravely; none ever scorned death more cOurageously.
 The bill recently introduced in con- gress to appropriate $100.000,O00 to buy food for the starving in Europe seemed typical of America to the peo- pie over here. While others were fis- uring out indemnities. we were plan. ming to give more from our store.
 America holds a position in the worlds esteem-I might almost say the worlds affections-that We ought to regard as pricess. We can retain this position only if we deserve it, and to deserve it, we must continue in unselfishness, in practical idealism, in