The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-01-29

/ APPRUACH EIRSl
|. REAL BIG CRISIS.
Continued From First Page.)
servant OF one Of my friends. She said
after three hours of waiting and
watching for the president. Now that
there?'
Politicians are politicians the world
over. Ihe last diplomat viii differ very
little from the first. Both classes are
In the end led by necessity or driven by
external pressure. Mr.. Wilson'S COM
ing set in motion a pressure from
masses OF men and women In many ma
tons which has exercised and is exer-
cising a profound influence upon the
within the conference.
So much has been gained and 1t win
hardly be lost. We shall harvest very
much OF that crop, and in my judgment
came, but today the world. the Eu-
ropean world at least, finds itself begin
ming to be anXious-a shade impatient
as 1t sees the hope Of definite results
postponed. | repeat. this "postponement
is not due to i~rreconcilable difference of |
opinion nor to quarrels over principle |
or provinces, Such differences will all
be settled without quarrel because ey-
eryone is determined to settle them that
way, The cause is apparent lack OF
program.
Imponderable Rocks.
1t is not, then, differences over ma
tlonal claims, II is not the demands OF
France in Germany or OF Italy in Aus
tria which block the way. 1mponder-
able rather than tangible obstacles are
holding us back, and chief among these
is the present status Of the league Of
nations. England and France have ac-
cepted the presidents double determi-
league and second that It should be
created by the treaty of peace rather
than postponed to later conference. But
neither England nor France, nor Amer
lea, for that matter, has yet arrived
at any coherent idea OF what Mr.. Will
sons views Of a league of nations is,
Has he a plan? presumably-but no
one knows. Will he announce It? Per-
haps, but who a say?
And so the situation becomes more
and more puzzling because, like all
human gatherings, the peace conference
in Paris seeks a leader and up to the
present hour the man whom circum-
stances have marked for that role gives
llp Glbl VI Ilb ulItCNlOH NllCu lie Dt-
lieves should be taken.
Apart from the league Of nations the
Polish and Russian problems are most
pressing and as recent dispatches have
doubtless indicated a beginning, a very
small beginning, has been made in both
cases, but in neither case is it aC-
curate to say that a policy has been
adopted, rather a committee has been
appointed, We have settled questions
of precedence Of method the routine
dear to the heart of the BureauCrat is
arranged. but we are still feeling in the
dark so far as purposes are concerned
Warns of Rumors.
Having said this, which was perhaps
a necessary report of the situation as 1t
stands, l desire to warn my American
readers against accepting sensational
reports Of growing tito differences.
! do not think anyone can exaggerate
f the f IN hnSIand g S0d f &c Fga Which in eI-
IDENTIFY in the official world, but more
strikingly amidst the masses of the
population for the president, personal
ly, and as the representative Of his
with totally different manners and
methods, no longer associated in a
common struggle against the enemy-a
situation in which all differences OF
ton Of duty-instead we are engaged
in striving to exist and our conditions
are equally hard on both sides Of the
national fences; all the little latent
heroes, alas, have become quite ordi-
nary human beings. o may hear in
every corridor in every restaurant gos- 4
sip, half truths and truths of no sig
%nificance, brought forward to prove that
discord and failure
But all this Is the small beer OF the
thing. A peace conference is like a
national convention In our politics. The
convention has a single function. 1t
election will be lost. Therefore, without
exception. conventions nominate. They ,
frequently begin with every sign Of col. !
lapse, There are opening days OF rival {
posals. But at a certain point harmony
comes out Of discord, And 1t will be the /
in Paris for the same reason. The {
delegates TO this convention will not at. I
tempt to go home without a treaty of !
peace in their pockets. 9
Again there is a superficial sense of
disappointment that a conference de- {
signed, at least In the public mind, to ,
new order in the world Is engaged end .
lessiy In the discussion OF territorial .
rivalries and trade je~alousies. All these
things are here and unmistakable, but
idealism Is not lacking either. Beyond
all else there is a clear perception in
the minds OF the official and even more
in the minds Of the unofficial repre-
s~entatives of the various nations that
a new spirit is stirring In their W
constituencies. Expecting miracles,
many may be disappointed, but ! de not
believe there is any reason to fear an
other congress OF Berlin, much less an
other congress Of Vienna.
No Real Work Yet.
The day-to-day routine OF the con-
ference has not yet acquired real value.
The great decisions are still to be made.
the unmistakable differences remain to
he ironed out. All that has been done
is In a very real sense ~perfunctory, but
the way In which 1t has been done Is
encouraging. II the conference has not
yet affirmatively marched in the right
direction there Is no installing the fact
that 1t has avoided taking steps
which might involve the surrender Of
principles, IL it has so far been cen
servative It has at no time been re-
dictionary and has steadily shown a
recognition and an appreciation of the
dangers OF any r~eactionary course, In
my Judgment the great powers as ep~
resented at Paris are @earer together
thar they were two months ago, and
the dangers of any break have become
remote.
Yet, az last, I return to the point at
which | BEGAN. Mr.. Wilson greatest
opportunity remains, but in a senSe is
passing; Europe wants peace and hopes
for the millennium; 1t is ready to ac-
cept hia leadership to ar unexpected
degree, but It is beginning to ask
whether he has a plan. Abstract prin-
,tptes must soon be translated into con-