The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1919-01-25
A NOTE OF ALARM

David Lawrence. the southern newspaper correspondent,
who has. been voicing the views of the ADMINISTRATOR III ms
letters, and who is now in Europe, in one OF his caDieerams
to the New York Post, throws some unexpected hght IN ue
foreign situation. He says that if the actual situation Ill ~
rope were known in America as he and the otner esp
ents know it, "the republican party would demand tne mme
diate withdrawal of our army from Europe" instead of fool
ing with academic questions growing out OF the ieaeue VI
nations.
Just why he imposes this duty on the republican party
he does not tell us. but he probably assumes that the demo-
Gratis in congress would not care to break openly with the
presidents foreign courses, even if they knew the facts. IN
order not to misstate or m~isinterpret Mr.. Lawrehces PoSiAo"'
let us take these excerpts from his significant uspacn'
Many a n American here is asking himself the question
what the attitude of the people of the United States would
be if they knew all that had been going On hee recently
My own opinion is that the republican party, instead of dis
cussing accidentally whether league of nations should De
taken u 70 at the beginning or the end of the peace confer
ence, should demand the withdrawal of the American army
from Europe at the earliest possible moment and the refus-
al to sign any peace treaty committing America to an Tor
ritoral settlements whatsoever or permitting America TO De-
ONE any further involved in the meshes Of European Up
lomacy.
He also tells us that in case the American ldea OF d iedeue
of nations is accepted and adopted the United States for one
will be asked to what extent it will be- willing to help pre-
serve the peace of Europe. That is to say, If the peace IL
based upon our ideas, it will devolve upon us to assume the
leadership in maintaining that peace and the Americans IN
Paris, or many of them, fear that it will be an lntermlhaDle
and hazardous piece of business for us, one tht 'h! cdlhio'
wish upon America.
France especially demands security for the future. Lead
es like Clemenceau have their own ideas OF gaming ms e
curity, and they include the reduction OF Germany 10 I'LL
potency so far as making war is concerned. But II they are
to accept the American idea then they are going to ask Amer
lea to see to it that that security is made none the less Sc
cure. Mr.. Lawrence in concluding his dispatch says;
The moment is coming when MI. Wilson must announce
the extent to which American military, naval and economic
forces will be ready to preserve the peace Of the world If
l. the nations abandon secret treaties and agreements mi bal
ane of power. It's too early to make any definite prediction
of the outcome If the Wilson diplomacy but admittedly the e.
cent speech of Premier Clenenceau revealed the exact nature
of the problem which must be solved. While the outlook
for the moment is discouraging, it must not be forgotten
that Mr.. Wilson has many cards to play, and the peoples of
Europe look to the statesmen who disagree with him to
give convincing arguments in order to retain their political
power.
All of which suggests that there is more involved than
the academic points that even our congress has been discussA
ing. The fact that Mr.. Lawrence, who has been so close to-
the administration has sprung these startling facts is signii-
cant. 1t would appear that he for one believes that we are
embarking on a dangerous policy and he wants, for the good
of America, to see the republican party, as the party OF OppO-
sition, now to rescue the country. Is that his idea in send
ing his alarming views to this country at the present time?
An. ~. ~ MI nnn Hnnn- EAnI e. no.AM L. lr L.