Evening journal., 1919-03-20
Mr.. Wilson's Open Diplomacy
and the Pals Cens0r's Gao
,Ernnnt tha nr,u N.orL srnA
from the New York sun.)

In the United States American senti-
ment against Mr.. Wilson's League OF
Nations rises until 1t begins 10 run a
tidal wave.
In Paris information about what IS
taking place over here is suppressed.
The French newspapers are engaged by
the censor. The public men who know
the truth and would tell IL are excluded
from the league discussions. II they
insist upon declaring themselves with
informal speech their words are smoth-
cred by the Peace Conferences blanket
as unofficial"
All the while Mr.. Wilson in his off,
cial position towers above the Confer
ence circle at Paris and declares that
the American people are overwhelming
ly behind him.
One need not believe that the French
press, forum and speech are thr0ttled
by the Paris censor at the instigatlon Of
Mr.. Wilson to give color to his claim Of
yoicing unanimous American opinion
The French censor is adept enough
withoutanybody's help. The French in
terest in striving to get the United
States to pack the Old Worlds load Is
too obvious 10 require a deeper motive.
The European interest In the same
game is likewise too evident to call for
explanation as TO why other delegates
do not demand that in France the gag
be torn out OF the mouth OF the public
prints and free speech be unthrottled.
Mr.. Wilson, II is true, is committed
unquallhedly TO open diplomacy; II is !
one OF the cardinal commandments of
his fourteen points. Mr.. Wilson, it is |
frffn I.a
American view should be revealed to |
the French conference, TO the French I
nation, TO the powers Of Europe repre-
sented in the conference. Mr.. Wilson. !
10 Is true, might well demand that all /
the American facts, whether they were /
for his position or against his position, /
he frankly presented TO the delegates 4
and freely discussed by all.
But we are bound TO say that II Mr.
Wilson is so infatuated with his own
League Of Nations project that he can
stand up and assert that the American
people are Overwhelmingly behind him
when their protests are like the roar
Of Niagara, we can comprehend how the
same infatuatiOn could lead him, when I
the voice Of criticism in Paris was as
silent as the grave, as assume that the
French press was not muzzled and
French speech not gagged.
Nor is It TO be overlooked that II Mr..
Wilson does not care in his own coun- ;
try what the American people think
and say about his league. what the I
United states Senate thinks and says /;
about his league, he would not be ;
likely in Paris to care what anybody
there thought or said about his league
when he was determined. in any event,
TO have his own way
Nevertheless, make such allowance as
we may for the Punishment Of Mr. VIII
sons open diplomacy from the Peace
OF all places on earth, or
for his indifference TO the convictions
and scruples Of anybody else when they
run counter TO his own will. the fact
remains that Mr.. Wilson Is insisting
that the delegates in Paris shall givei
him TO bring home and submit to the
United states Senate exactly the form
of league 10 which millions Of American
citizens object and which the United
States Senate has warned him il can
not and will not accept.
The fact remains that when the SEMI
ate. whose treaty making power has the
last word in this matter, is ignored and
iefled Ia the Paris negotiations, it Is
Mr. Wilson and nobody else who not
)nly makes for the defeat Of his league
project, but, so far as concerns this ma
ion, also endangers the peace treaty
tsef.
The fact remains that II Mr.. VIII