Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-06
A WITCHES CALDRON
BRIGGS
[From the New York Heralld.1

ltrOm the New 1Ork fterallu.l
The Paris conference, instead of
being an alembic, distilling the po-
ton of perpetual peace, is proving
a veritable witches caldron, in
which nothing but toll and trouble
has so far been brewed. Following
the Fiume episode and the depart
ure of Orlando, the Poles are threat
ening to quit unless their claim to
DanZig and a corridor is allowed,
while the Japanese are also intimat-
ing that if they are defeated on the
Kiaouchou question they too will cut
the conference and quit for Tokyo.
The worst of it is that Italians,
Poles and Japanese are all blaming
America, and that from being hailed
as saviours of humanity six months
ago, we are now regarded as the
chief obstacle to international good
will as well as a strong peace with
Germany.
There is now little doubt that the
policy of placing the League of Ma
tions in the forefront of the pro-
ceedings at the conference was a
grave error. Mr.. George w. Per-
kins, who has been in Paris since last
December engaged in Y. NJ. G. A.
work, amply confirms the opinion so
frequently expressed in these col
umns that the Presidents League of
Nations plan, involving as it did
lengthy discussions and a special
trip to Washington by its sponsor,
has greatly delayed the making a
peace with Germany. In consequence
| feeling in Europe toward Mr.. Wilson
has greatly changed since December,
when he was the idol of the conti-
nent. THE President" says Mr..
Perkins, lis regarded more and more
every day as the one man response
| BILE above all others for delay and
inaction in effecting peace"
| AS Mr.. Perkins contends, the time
to have made peace with Germany,
was as soon as possible after the
armistice, when she felt that she was
beaten. Since then she has had time
| to recover some of her self esteem
and resume her attitude of AFRO
gance. The absurd myth of an un-
beaten army has been repeated until
| it is believed in, and German dele
gates, if ever they are summoned to
Paris by the present conference
which seems almost doubtful in pres
ent chaotic conditions, will go there
not to sign and submit, but to haggle
and possibly refuse.
| Most annoying of all to sensible
! Americans is that the United States
should be held to blame for the eX-
listing situation, which is likely to
develop into an impasse, as Poland
and, above all, Japan has yet to be
dealt with. We have found our
selves opposing France, our tradi-
tional friend, in respect to the claims
of that country both as to indemnifl-
cation and protection; we are op-
posed to Italy over it's claims to ter
ritory torn from her by Austria; and
apparently, we are similarly opposed
to Poland with respect to the return
of it's ancient port of Danzig and a
corridor thereto. Finally, having de-
MED the Japanese racial equality in
the West, we are understood to be
opposing their territorial claims in
the East.
The devils own broth is brewing
and it appears as if the caldron
must soon boil over. Who is tC
blame? Most people are fain to ad-
NIT that it is Mr.. Wilson. He has
taken Princeton methods to Paris
and has treated delegates as if they
were in statu pupilarii. He has in.
sisted on secrecy so long as it suited
him and when it did not, he has
violated diplomatic usage and inter.
national practice by addressing him.
self to a nation behind the back OF
it's prime minister and chief dele.
gate. History is likely to agree that
the greatest mistake of President
! Wilson's career was his selection ol
his country's peace delegation.