The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-14
Tho Biggest Issue America Has
Had Since the Declaration
OF Inde pendence.

HAd since the DECLARATION
OF Independence.
The report that President WILSON
intends to appeal to the people Of the
United States, after the George Wash
ington or some other well appointed
transport has returned him to these
shores, naturally occasions surprise.
The President has been appealing
for nearly a year for authority to
speak in the name Of America. He
has had successive answers which
would have discouraged any states
man less self-determined from daring
to assume in Europe the role of rep
resentative Of an American sentiment
solidly supporting his right to speak
for his country. Yet he has persisted
In that assumption, in the Peace Con-
ference, before the people Of Great
Britain, France and Italy, before va
rious municipal bodies and unofficial
associations Of learned or phllan-
.thropic men, going even so far in the
Fiume matter as to address himself
directly to the Italian nation, making
his appeal over the heads of Italy's
own Government.
Here are some Of his previous ap-
peals for support:
= On October q last he appealed to
the United States Senate, through a
resolution offered by one of his par
Elementary agents. the Hon JAMES
HAMILTON LEWIS, to give him a GER
titled check, with the amount left in
blank, upon the confidence Of Europe.
Nothing like 1t was ever proposed be-
fore In our Congress. The submitted
resolution declared that the United
States Senate approves tohateuer
course may be taken by the President
of the United States in the matter of
his replies and in his dealings with
the German Imperial Government and
the Austrian Imperial Government
and the allies Of either or both" 1t
went on TO declare that "the Senate,
having complete and full confidence
in the discretion, judgment and patri-
-otism of the President. Endorses and
approves tohdteper methods he may
employ to achieve the results of vic
.torious peace and the establishment
of the principles for which the United
States entered the war" The appeal
was rejected emphatically and even
contemptuously by public sentiment
throughout the country. Nothing else
could have happened while this re-
public remains what 1t is. The abb
surd resolution asking approval and
Endorsement In advance has reposed
permanently on the table where the
Presidents spokesman in the Senate
placed 1t temporarily in order to test
public opinion on the subject.
Later the President, In his own
person and under his own signature,
addressed to his fellow citizens his
memorable partisan appeal asking the
country to return at the election then
approaching a Democratic Congress,
on the ground that vote adverse to
his party would be interpreted as the
reputation by the people Of the United
States Of his policies and purposes In
Observation-Disclosures. THE people of the
Allied countries with whom we are
associated against Germany" he said
"would find 1t very difficult to be-
lleve that the voters of the United
States had chosen to support their
President by electlng to the Congress
a majority controlled by those who
are not in fact In sympathy with the
attitude and action Of tho IVIlSon,
Administration" That is precisely
what the voters of the United States
did on election day, They replied to
his partisan appeal for vote OF con-
fidence by rendering with extraordi-