The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-16
The Fine Art of Facing Both Ways.

The Fine Art of Pacing Both Ways.
1t is now the favorite argument Of
the President and his spokesman that
the United States must accept unre-
servedly the League Of Nations and
its covenant and It's entangling obli-
cations, even at the sacrifice Of this
republics desires and traditional poll
cies and full independence, because to
do otherwise would be to break the
heart Of Europe. The European Pow
ers are represented rs awaiting ex-
pectantly the action of our Senate;
as watching Washington with eager
interest and anxious apprehension
lest America shall prove q stumbling
block in the way Of that world reor-
ganization on which Great Britain,
France, Italy and the rest of our as
sociates In the war have set their
hearts as their only hope for the
worlds future.
In one form or another this plea
is now heard on every side. Ameri-
can approval must not be withheld.
America must not be the marplot.
President WILSON has come back with
the covenant that embodies the cher
ished hopes of our friends across the
Atlantic, and they are looking to US
to do our part. The voices in the
air demand 1t Of US. The visions Of
it occupy the horizon all around us.
This was President WILSON'S report
on the subject: Every true heart
In the world and every enlightened
judgment demanded that, at what
ever cost of Independent action, every
Government that took thought for Its
people or for justice or for ordered
freedom should lend itself to n new
purpose and utterly destroy the old
order OF international politics" The
statesmen of Europe saw 1t as the
hope Of the world, and that hope they
did not dare to disappoint. Shall We
or any other free people hesitate to
accept this great duty? Dare We" he
asked, reject 1t and break the heart
Of the worldf"
We speak advisedly when We say
that no greater humbug was ever
protruded than this appeal to the
United States to accept Mr.. WILSON'S
plan for the sake of Europe. Con-
sciously or unconsciously, the Presi-
dent reverses the direction of the
propaganda now that he has returned
to this country to influence In favor
Of his League that public opinion for
which he assumed to speak with au-
thority while he was abroad. The
evidence of this reversal of direction
IL to be found In the language in
which he himself appealed to Europe
not to break the heart of the United
States by rejecting the plan he pre-
sented to the Conference.
He actually told the doubling and
more or less cynically disposed repre-
sentatives of the European Powers
assembled ut Paris that this League
Of Nations was what America de-
manded of Europe. We are quoting
now from the Presidents address at
the session Of January %. when he
opened the discussion on the League
Of Nations:
"If we return to the United States
without having made every effort In
our power to realize this programme
we should return to meet the merited
scorn of our fellow citizens For
they are a body that constitutes a
, grGat democracy. They expect their
no private purpose OF their own. They
expect their Representatives to be
their servants. We hdve no choice
but to obey their sHanddto. But 1t is
with the greatest enthusiasm and
pleasure that we accept that man
date; and because this Is the key
stone Of the whole fabric. we have
pledged our every purpose to 1t. as
we have to every item Of the fabric.
We toould not dors abats o single
item Of the programme tDhich consti-
futss our Instruction, We would not
dare compromise upon any matter as
the champion of this thing-this
peace of the world. this attitude of
justice. this principle that We are the
masters OF no people. but are here to
see that every people in the world
shall choose it's own masters and gov
srn its own destlnies. not as We wish
but rs 1t wishes We are here to see.
In short. that the very foundations OF
war are swept away"
Was there ever more extraorii-
nary example Of double action appeal,
of reciprocal rhetoric, than that which