The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-11
Already Forming.

Now this VIII seem to many Ameri-
cans a very small harvest for a very
large sowing, and yet, as ! said before,
the fact Is that the nations now In
conference in Paris are themselves in
their association and cooperation be-
coming day by day more and more
of an effective league Of nations. The
fact Is that many OF the aspirations
for a league OF nations are being ex-
pressed in the method and in the spirit
Of the Paris conference. The perfect
machine which was to be a world po-
lice force will not spring fully armed
from the Paris conference, but out OF
deliberations, decisions and joint agree
ments a very useful organization for
the preservation OF world peace seems
likely to emerge.
What | am trying to make clear Is
that President Wilson, by coming to
Europe, exercised a profound influence
upon the course of the Paris confer
ence. but this influence wac not the
result of a careful formula upon a
definite program or a matured and
considered policy. THE leage of ma
tons is not Mr.. Wilson's creation. In
a large sense 1t is no ones creation,
but the result of the conference itself.
| When Mr.. Wilson goes home the dis.
cussion of the league OF nations VIII
| probably have been completed. with all
the larger questions referred to the APP
| propriate private committees whose re-
| ports may be heard and acted upon
| and may not, SO far Mr.. Wilson has
| committed the United States to moth
| ing. since he was unable In the nature
| Of things to commit his country, As
a consequence he has been compelled
In the last analysis to abandon any
/ possible purpose to exercise coercion,
and he has ~refrained so far from any
appeal to the sentiments or emotions
of the masses OF people over here, with
the result that the peace conference
has worked in harmony n real league
OF nations has developed consistently.
1t is very hard to make clear the
precise difference between what Mr..
Wilson was expected to do and what he
has done. The American people as a
whole accepted the "A points, which
were in themselves only a confused
mixture Of sentiment, unrelated truths
and u~napplied aspirations, as a rather
league Of nations. Confronted by the
facts OF the European situation, Mr..
Wilson and those associated wrtn him
saw very quickly how different y the
world OF fact was from what they had
imagined at a distance Of 5000 miles,
They found the old difficulties CON
fronting them OF being powerless be-
cause they had nj specified remedies
for diseases all mankind had suffered
from and hated. In a way they found
themselves merely denunciators of dis
ease and not physicians with healing
remedies. The IA points took all the
character of incarnation rather than
medically approved treatment, and In
a very real sense American leadership
broke down at a critical moment, since
Americans offered no remedy.
Overlooked Chance.
II Mr., Wilson had been able 10 pull
-L - hfu YNnaEaf q RnnHfitntinn fnI
a league OF nations following his tri-
umphal progress through France, Brit.
ain and Italy. II seems to be the com
mon Judgment here that he might have
persuaded the Paris conference to &C
cent It. But in point of fact all h'
could say was You see, your people
desire the same things which l desire
namely, a world peace and a guar
antee against future war Beyond thi'
| he could hardly go, Beyond this HI
has not gone, except to receive ant
| to adopt one contribution after another
ccming mainly from the British, de
signed TO cover statements made h,
him in the past, as in the case OF TIL
German colonies. He could, II he hat
t wanted, have opposed annexation o
~ouerors Of Germany, He could NOT
7 Il he had wanted, have persuaded tn
J yictors to return them to Germany
and he was not prepared on behalf Q
! the United states either to accept TO
his country alone or for his countr,
associated with others, responsibility
for administration and control OF thes
: colonies. In such a situation the worl
! nrohlem was to find the way out, an
: The way out is a mandatory system
which means everything or NOTHING
n as the league OF nations shall develo
!, into a definite and powerful organize
tion or shall disa ppear,
! no use another Illustration. the Par
cdnferenee had to deal with Russii
Mr, Wilson was not prepared 10 sen
' American troops to Russia England an