Evening star., 1919-01-23
BY FRANK n. SIHONDS.,
CableSram to The Evening Star.

+ Cablegram to The Evening Star'
LONDON, January 2z.-Arriving In
London nearly two weeks after the
Presidents visit, with every circum-
stance of that visit unknown, since
all reoorts were lacking to the ocean
traveller one has something of the
perspective of the traditional visitor
from Mars: The value of this per-
spective is plain. One does not meas
ure the result in terms of temporary
applause and OF smomentary enthusa-
asm. which have come and gone.
what is left is the solid result, and
III is a great and unmistaka6ie.sr re-
suit
In visit measured by relatively
few hours, President wilson acHleEeo
two things. He captured the lmasln
alton and he strengthened the expec-
tations and the aspirations OF Ihii-
lions of people whose Thoughts as 70
the future were necessarily Sasus
and i'll defined, and he avolaen e,, PEI
ciseIy those dangers which looineu
large in the minds of the thought1ui'
who welcomed him with equal en-
thusiasm, but were acutely consclous
of unmistakable temptations aha
With their cheers for the President:
This thing must be said first out OF
mere Justice. Great as was his per
sonal triumph, the greatest thlns
about it was not personal, put ha
tional. | have talked with scores OF
Englishmen and Americans, and 1t is
the common testimony OF all lh'
President Wilson's visit was a perina-
nent contribution to Anglo-Amerlca
understanding in the present. anu
friendship in the future
NV American readers Will perhaps
remember that l was one those VINO
doubted the wisdom of the president
Journey, who saw the dangers ana dio
not perceive compensating benehts;
hnt 7 do not think that any American
n,n1d he in London today, fortnight
after the event, and not feel that
the English phase alone had 1ustihed
the experiment, proving the PRESIDENT
right and the doubters and critics To-
tally wrong.
President Rose to Occasion.
What the President did. measured
nv the result, was this: His visit was
an experiment for England. for Lon
don. The official world did everything
within its large capacity to make the
visit a success. All that statesmen,
diplomats and soldiers. all that royal,
military and civic authorities could do
was done But when the President
came the mass of the people took the
thing out of the official world and
made the welcome ITS own. VIVA. was
naturally official and formal at the
outset became popular and spantane-
o,Is after the first moment, and to this
welcome, the greatest in the history OF
London, the President made adequate
response. The opportunity was tre-
mendous and he unquestionaoly rose
to it.
what he said, what he did, do not
l.now even now, since I was on the
ocean at the time: but the erect or
what he said and what he did is to be
encountered everywhere. Nor Is 1t
less clear what he did not 90. Many
Americans and some Engnshmen
feared that on the subject of the
league of nations and on the issue of
the freedom of the seas he might
speak and act dogmatically; that, IN
stead of prompting understanding. he
might excite disagreement py rais.
ing an issue. But he did nothing OF
the sort. On the contrary, he left be-
hind him the impression of reasona-
bleness which dispelied long standing
apprehension. He impressed offleial
and imperial Britain not as being dog
matte but as being open-Hilhaeo, Inoo-
crate in search of basis OF agree
ment: not insistent upon any unalter-
ahle formula or immutable doctrine
for the league of nations.
But even this achievement-and 1t
was no small achievement--was less
considerable than the success of the
pres dent with the masses of the
neople To them he embodied an ex-
pectation He was a visible and tangi-
hle advance agent of just and
peaceful settlement of the greatest
Of all world tragedies.
League of Nations Assured.
In America. when I left, men and
women were discussing whether or
not there would be league of ma
tions In London, when l arrived, the
discussion was as to the form which
the inevitable league would take. The
fact that there would be league
was everywhere conceded.
Yet, IL one were to be wholly
exact, even the question of the league
of nations is minor. What the Pres
idents visit seems to have accom-
piished was to give body and form
to Anglo American understanding and
friendship which was always lacking
before. How this was done it Is diff
ficult to explain. Certainly when I
was In London three years ago, or
two years ago. nothing could have
appeared more impossible. It needed
something beyond eur nece- Dartte6.