Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-26
LEAGUE FOES BLIND. TO DESTINY
Men Of Minds Ueudy and Others Recacrant Wilson's Fame
Con,picate National Crisis
By BART HALEY


Staff Correspondent Evening Public Ledger
Washington. Feb 26.-Too much stress
has been laid upon the partisan character
of the opposition that confronts Mr.. VIII.
sons peace plans in Congress.
The true origins Of the unrest here lie
far deeper than politics. What the league
of nations is up againt is a state of mind
a sort of mental unpreparedness that is
not confined to Washington.
Washington in its Querulous intervals
is merely rejecting the national temper.
Sooner or later-perhaps tomorrow after
the President has told lot of harsh and
novel truths to the Foreign Affairs commit.
tees, upon whom he still depends for help
and perhaps not until the country has en-
dured months of turmoil-Congress will
give its full sanction to Mr.. Wilson's plan
simply. because the league OF nations rep.
resents for America the one alternative
that is not Iivid with promises of future
disaster.
Fear TO Add to Wilson'S Fame
There are groups in the Senate and in
the House. of course, who cannot think,
without whitening pain, of adding further
to Mr.. Wilson's triumphs.
The House moves with the gloom and
the high nervous tension peculiar to poor
and proud relations It feels as man
might feel who has been repeatedly mauled
in public.
No one can remain about the seats of
the mighty at Washington for even a day
without an amazed sense Of widespread, in
definable antagonism toward everything
wilsonian. Many of the Presidents sup
porters have days when they become VIC
tins of this nameless aff1iction:
The note of smiling assurance in the
Boston speech served curiously enough to
sharpen the sense Of irritation that per.
vades Congress. Members of the Foreign
Affairs Committees who will dine at the
White House tonight have been asked
whether they are to be fed on the back
stairs.
Some flaw in the Presidents technique
| is responsible for all this, and the crisis
| in Washington is emotional, rather than
political.
Postponing Agony Of Decision
There are few men in the House or in
| the Senate who in the end will not bs
willing to trample their personal feelings
under foot and even their political inter.
ests under foot, in an emergency so grea
as the present one.
The Senate will quibbie and fret, ant
| il has an air now of being disgusted will
the impulsiveness of destiny. It will ever
| drift FAR toward an uncertain future will
1 closed eyes. But it is merely following {
national habit. 1t is trying to postpon'
the agony OF great decisions.
For once, at least, the Senate is 4
representative body. Its state of mind il
much like that of the average man in TN
street. who has been bewildered by tn
wild panorama of Europe and dazed by tn
Presidents part in It,
Victory came suddenly, 1t is not to
much to say that Congress didn't kno'
what to do with 1t. When the questio
became a reality. almost overnight,
startled washington like a yell out of tn
thin air.
| President Prepared for II
| Yet there are signs now TO indicate
was this question that haunted the Pres
dents mind II ~ bard days after He