New-York tribune., 1919-02-25
Views on Wilson
Speech Reflected
I'm the n. Y. Press
Opposition Inspired by Cow
areIice, Says World; Sum
Denies We Went to War for
Humanity

Editorial comment from this morn
ing's New York newspapers on Presi-
dent Wilson's return from France as
the champion of the league of nations
follows:
THE WORLD
Thus far the opposition to the league
Of nations in the United States, and
particularly in the Senate, has been a
counsel Of cowardice. Tt has come
from timid men who are afraid to per-
nit the United States to play a mans
part in the world. They fear that it
may cost money. They fear that it will
entail duties. They suspect that great
friendly peoples like the British, the
French and the Italians are at heart
thieves and bandits who are Turing us
into a darkened street only to rob and
murder us. They are terrified of re
sponsibilties.
When these critics are not ruled by
their cowardice they arc ruled by their
petty parochial prejudices. They think
the United States can be in the world
bat not Of the world. They would
have the most powerful of republics
emulate the example of the Coreans
and become a hermit nation lest as
sociaton with other countries corrupt
our hearts and our institutions. They
do not believe that wars can be pre-
vented, but il wars can be prevented
let somebody else stop them. 1t is
none of our business, and by being
neutral there would be opportunities
for making money.
But the hard facts of the world stu
alton must be faced. The millions Of
men who have suffered the horrors Of
this war. the hundreds Of millions Of
people who have made the sacrifice Of
life and treasure, have rightly regarded
it as a war to end war. If it is not
that to them, if their children must
tread the blood stained path that they
is to be restored, all this agony has
been in vain. IS there any American
in the Senate or out of the Senate who
is prepared to assume the moral re-
! sponsibility for thus cheating the liv
ing and defrauding the dead?
THE sun
Before we Americans can fairly dis
cuss and judge President Wilson's spe-
cific views on the league of nations we
must hear more from him than we
heard at Boston yesterday, and we
must know more than he has permitted
US to know from any place at any time.
One thing which he said at Boston,
however, this newspaper and, we make
no doubt, the American people, cannot
fail to reject Immediately. Mr.. Wilson
declared that we went over to Europe
and plunged into the battlefelds there
colo fcr ba al of humanity q
did not. We went over there to help
save France and England, because ii
France and England were not saved
our turn would be next.
Except as another mawkish vision,
therefore, it cannot possibly follow, as
President Wilson states it, that we
must 20 on till the crack of doom
carrying the burden of the whole
world, with no care for our own, with
no thought Of our own; with the single
purpose whatever it may cost US, to
whatever end it may bring US, of serv-
ing Mr.. Wilson's general humanity
The American people will never stand
for such mad squander Of their noble
birthright.
NEW YORK TIMES
Not one suggestion of any other
plan, any substitute proposal of de-
fence against the horrors OF war any
hint of means by which the feeling
Of cordial friendship between the ma
tions united against Germany, the in
tense longing for an assurance of
peace and justice among nations, can
be turned to account has come from
any Of the Senatorial snecrers at Mr.
Wilson's ideals.
They seek to destroy what he has
helped to create; they have given no
sign that they would create anything
themselves. For all that they have
said to the contrary we may assume
that they would be quite willing to
declare tho forfeiture of every per-
nnnent gain secured by the war and
sec the world revert to the pre-war
condition, with every nation which
chor'shes ruthless ambition left free
to fall upon its neighbors with fire and
sword-.-in short, all this agony to be
gone through with again and again.
Tho President has very different
conception of tho world In It's present
temper. He sees tho nations eager
10 unite IN n society Of pcace, as part
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