The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-03-24

course which cOmpelleu Europe "
accept the actual domination OF Mr..
Wilson in the Paris convention. to
permit him to postpone all peace
plans, to confuse, complicate all pro-
ceedings, to make everything walt on
his own League Of Nations plan, be-
cause it attacked Mr.. Wilson at the
one precise point where Europe was
bound to support him.
Interest 10 Negative.
One reads with amazement Ameri-
can discussion Of the provisions OF
the League of Nations covenant. NO
one In Europe gives them passing
notice, save in a few restricted quar-
tiers. One similarly reads with
amazement the assertion that all Eu-
rope is enthusiastically committed to
the covenant Of the League OF Ma
lions. This is more nonsense. Eu-
rope is interested in keeping as much
faulty and ignorance out of the
covenant as possible. It's interest in
the text is purely negative, 1T doesnt
believe in the text as such.
| Last of all, one comes to the point
of view of Americans in Europe out
side of the presidents encourage
early stages of the war; the president
was totally out of accord with their
| sympathy with the Allied cause; they
believe. not too unreasonably, that he
cares little now about anything but
abstract academic phases.
But, on the other hand, if they dc
not sympathize with Mr.. Wilson's
course, they emphatically do nat with
\ ~
regard with equal amazement and dis
appointment the course OF the oppo
sition In deliberately adopting now
the policy that Mr.. Wilson followed
for three years of war, namely, the
policy Of isolation. separationg from
Europe, it's sufferings. its strivings
it's battle, which remains our battle
They look with something approach
ing dismay at the opposition to the
president. the opposition to whicf
these Americans belong, attacking
that association with Europe which Ii
for them the most vital of all ques
tons.
Bolshevism Second Menace.
Nor is 1t different with many Re
publicans in Europe in the army
They are no more enthusiastic for thu
president and his later policies thar
they have been for his early policies
But they feel strongly, deeply, thai
our task in Europe is incomplete
that many of their comrades have
died in vain if we do not fortify thei1
victory with solid peace which shall
enable western democratic Europe tt
escape Bolshevism as second me
mace, become real now the German
peril has disappeared. They too, arr
dismayed by the apparent line of &C
ton adopted in America.
AS long as opposition in America
concentrates its attack upon the prin
Ciple of American association Will
Europe in the preservation OF peace
in the reorganization of life and in
dustry on the old basis Mr.. Wilson
will continue to exercise undisputet
mastery in the Paris conference, II
which no man agrees with his abstrac
principles, all men chafe at his in
sistence upon postponing peace unit
he has carried out his own program.
But not only that, but after peace
comes, every appeal Europe can maxi
to the heart and conscience of Amerl
ca will be made on Mr.. Wilson's be
half, if he is permitted to retain hi
present position of sole champion il
America of the cause of European sal
walton, the first friend of our stricken
allies, for whim American friendship
moral as we'll as material, is matte
of life and death.
So far, the Republicans seem to b.
making the same mistake in Europ'
with respect of Wilson that they mad
so frequently in America with respec
of Roosevelt; they are attacking hin
at the one point where he is invul
nerable so far as his public is con
cerned.