New-York tribune., 1919-01-11
Hazardous

III prescribing Ills pedCc tIedCy dliLlS ~
the people of France, Great Britain and
Italy President Wilson has undoubtedly
been inspired by generous motives. He
is seeking to "assess" popular opinion
abroad, as a recent press association dis
patch from Paris rather naIvely put it.
This process has its embarrassments
and dangers. Though such purpose
may not be in the Presidents mind, the
impression has been given, both here and
in Europe, that in his zeal for the sort
of agreement which he has at heart he
has been appealing to the people of
France, Great Britain and Italy over the
heads Of their governments.
A newspaper very friendly to the Ad-
ministration, The Neao York World, has
thrown good deal of light on the risks
involved in this sort of appeal. Its cor
respondent, Mr. Louis Seibold, discussing
the effect. of the Presidents Italian
Paris:
Some apprehension is expressed that
the Bolshevik element conducting active
propaganda at Rome, Genoa, Milan and
Turin may succeed in the effort to make
it appear that the President is in full
sympathy with the plan to initiate a
movement toward the establishment of a
democracy to succeed the monarchy
Mr.. Seibold tells of dramatic Incl
dent which occurred during Mr.. Wilson's
visit to Rome. Socialist agitators among
the soldiers sent a delegation to urge
the President to address ''the friends of
Italian democracy" in the Piazza
Venicizzia, on the line of the parade
from the Quirinal to the Chamber of
Deputies. The head of the delegation
later tried to persuade Ambassador Page
to alter the official programme, using
this argument: eve have right to
hear the message he brings to the work
ing people and soldiers, who want to
be as free as the people of America"
Mr.. Seibold adds:
The A1pini captain, standing between
Mr. Page and the writer, displayed typi-
cally Latin emotion in the argument, the
crowd back of the lines of soldiers mean
while roaring mighty chorus of ap-
provai. Noticeable in the group, identified
as Socialists, under the impressive gold
and marble memorial to Victor Emmanuel
u, was George Creel, chairman of the
Committee Public Information.
We learn further from this pro-Ad-
ministration witness that the Wilson
speeches in Italy, annotated and inter
preted by Socialist leaders, are being
widely distributed in the industrial CEN
tres. Also that the government, "detcr
mined to suppress the movement inau-
gurated among the soldiers along Boil
shevist lines, is said to have arrested
many Of the most active agitators.''
In France, in much the same wav.
L'Humanite, the organ of the extreme
Socialists and defeatists, an enemy of
the Clemenceau government and an
apologist for Caillaux, attempted to CAP
italize Mr. Wilson's views for party pur
poses. A quietus was put on this eff
fort, however, by the decisive vote of
confidence recently given Clemepceau in
the Chamber of Deputies.
The Presidents attitude - uncon-
sciousiy to him, no doubt-has been
made use of by various radical groups
to weaken the influence of the Allied
governments. And there are undoubted
~ men near Mr.. Wilson, like George
Creel, with whom the aim of American
policy in Europe to-day is to promote
radicalism first and to secure a safe
peace afterward.
If the Allied governments are pot
nettled by such tactics, they are more
than human. When Sir Frederick E.
Smith, the British Attorney General. on
visit to this country year or more
ago, made some candid remarks about
the league of nations and the freedom,
Of the seas, the Administration cxhib-
tied great sensitiveness. Sir Frederick
was abruptly recalled to London.
Americans would resent remarks
made here by the agent or the head of
a foreign nation which tended to arouse
differences between the people and the
government We are now taking steps
to put an end to the Russian Bolsheyist
propaganda in this country. 1t may be
hard FOR our gpokesmen abroad to see
tE'e:aselve4 40 others see them. But in
air. geiso.d's description Of the Italian
geejalsss reaction TO sIr. Wilson's
apet el1es there ig b warning against The
ssr ~ peace propaganda which sets
Il ass p@fties iH IN Allied country