Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-08
MR.. WILSON FACES
A GREAT OPPORTUNITY
If He Asks for the Ratification Of the
Treaty as a National Duty the Nation
Is Likelv to Resnond

is LlHSIy 10 IteSHONu
THE task which Mr.. Wilson went to
Europe to assist in accomplishing was
ended when the German delegates signed
the peace treaty at Versailles on juno %.
He has beer Of inva uabIc service in
the negotiations. He was brought into
personal contact with the great states
men who, with him. we're striving to
bring order out of chaos and to lay the
foundations on which the structure of
world peace IS to be built. And the great
statesmen were brought into contact with
him. After long discussion their minds
met on a plan. Because of the disin-
tcroSted counsel of the United States it is
better plan than would have been
otherwise possible.
The strength of Mr.. Wilson's position
lay in the fact that this country has no
narrow selfish ends to serve. The United
States sought neither territory nor puni-
tive damages. 1t was imperative that so
far as possible the Paris conference
should avoid the mistakes of the notorious
Vienna conference. Externally it has
done what the Vienna conference did, for
it has carved Europe up into a lot of new
states. The difference lies in the new
principle Of statehood recognized in all
the negotiations.
For the first time in centuries the right
of different nationalities to determine
their own government has found q place
in the realm Of practical politics. The
dismerbered Poland once The most en-
hghtened nation on the continent, has
been reunited. The Czech0-Slovaks are
to live their own national life. The Slav
states of the Balkans are, so far as pos
slDIe' to cease to be the plaything of am
Dttlous powers seeking to checkmate one
another in the game for which the prize
was the control of Constantinople.
1t is useless to speculate about the
possibility of this splendid result having
been accomplished without the influence
of the American President and his prin-
clple of self-determination. 1t has been
accomplished through his influence. And
the result must speak for itself. SO far
as we can see now it makes for perma-
nent peace.
And the President put his influence
back of the league of nations project.
originated in America by Mr.. Taft and
the men associated with him in the
League to Enforce Peace, league con-
ccivcd long before the great war began
and intended to prevent the outbreak of
any such war. Had the world been
ready for such league when it was first
proposed the history of the past five years
would not have been a bloody record of
suffering and slaughter.
So the President returns to America
today bringing with him the peace treaty,
an i0+oGral part of which is the league
of nations covenant.
His work in Europe is finished 1t is
just beginning in America.
He will find here a lot of men without
vision, without any sense of national re-
sponsibility, quibbling and pettifogging
about the league plan. Some of them are
honest Others are foundering about
in the hope that they may find. in opposi-
ton to the league an issue on which
they can win the presidency for their
party next year. The latter class is the
more pathetic of the two. 1t is unfor-
tunate for the country that the leaders
Of great party should so far forget its
glorious traditions as to think that it,
members. proud of a record of support
of progressive principles from the begin
ming and accustomed to face the conse-
uuenccs of any honorable course, could
be misled into the Endorsement of policy
tainted with the suspicion of welching
and sCuttling.
There is no doubt whatsoever that be-
fore Mr.. Wilson has been home many
weeks he will discover that the nation is
not behind these reactionaries. The
! nation has been behind him in Paris It
| has recognized him as the voice through
| which the desires of this free people have
been expressed. He has been regarded as
the President of the United States, acting
| not for the Democrats or for the Re.
pubicans, but for the nation as a whole
If he can remember, now that he is home
again, that he is not merely the leader of
the Democratic party seeking political
advantage to be capitalized next year
and can conduct his campaign for the
ratification of the treaty as a whole on
the high ground of national obligation
he will be invincible.
But it is not necessary for him to insist
that the treaty is perfect or that the
league covenant is ideal. Neither is true
Both are the result of compromise and
concession. No man living in close touch
with actualitieS expected an ideal league
covenant or an ideal treaty. That we
have any sort of covenant at all is
astounding. 1t was dreamed of five years
ago, but. the most optimistic felt that il
would be years and possibly generations
| before anything would come of It. But
/. events have proved that II civilization il