El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-06-24

innate. justified approval. since, II they
were NOT satisfied France was ruined
Britain gravely grounded, Italy LETT
with her own natiCnaltles unsatls-
Cancellation. Germany, after these
terms had been imposed was bound
TO be crippled suLen- resent1ul- Sne
was bound to plan new wars ana mar
Dor all old resentments, WnHe the
Jugo-Slays. the Greeks and the
the decisions Of the peace conference
In this situation 1ir- Wilson mad 10
choose; he might retire from the
peace conference. he might remain
rigidly faithful 10 his a points ana
his dream Of peace OF CONSULTATION.
But retirement meant the collapse Of
the whole still unborn league OF ma
tons. and il meant in addition pollt-
zeal difficulties at home which require
no enDhass That he debated DOING
Washington clearly indicates. That
lie found the threat OF going was
alone unavailable. the sequence OF
events clearly demonstrated
Mr.. Wilson then faced the great
crisis. To 40 meant the ruin OF
the league Of nations the success
at home of his political enemies,
the confusion of the allied cause
But to stay meant to consent TO
European peace to accept terms
OF peace Of coneiliatiOn-t
meant to lose the commanding
role in the peace conference.
The presidents decision was 10
stay He believed. he was convinced
that # a league OF nations were once
established, set in motion. all else
would in the end resolve itself,
Meantime he would Try. and he did
try. 10 obtain such notifications OF
allied claims as were possible He
49, .
Of Plume. for AT least semblance OF
his program.
Nevertheless. in the very nature of
things the league OF nations idea dis
appeared. The settlement with Ger
many territ0rially as well as polit-
insured permanent German futility
and France demanded and obtained
the presidents endorsement Of 2
guarantee against Germany. which
amounted in fact to a new Anglo
French-American alliance.
New Alliance Dominant.
After this. there was no more
European concern for the league of
nations What the British has always
seen as the big possibility OF the
league OF nations in fact what the
French had tardily recognized as the
maximum Of possibility. was now ar
rived-namely, an alliance with the
United States. Moreover. this alliance
was a fact in Paris and dominated
the peace conference.
Exactly in the same way the small
er powers recognized the fact, they,
too, with their claims laid aside all
hope OF expectation Of a league OF
nations and began 10 struggle for
the material facts openly. Poland and
Czecho-Slovakia- Servia and Rumania.
Hungary and Czecho-Slovakia, Seryia
and Italy. Holland and Ukrania, Ru-
mania and Bulgaria. Bulgaria and
Servi- turned from the thought Of
peaceful settlement TO the pre7ara-
ton for conflict When I left Paris
on May 81. not less than IS wars were
in progress in Europe alone.
In a word. in the presence Of ma
tional aspirations and dreams in east
face OF imDerious material necessities
in western Europe, the whole colcep-
ton Of a peace Of Cancellation. of a
league OF nations TO perperuate an
amicahle solution. Mr.. Wilson's con-
ceptiOn broke down and disappeared.
Only One Thing Left.
There was left only one thing-the
AnglO-F Decentralization association
It would not insure peace in Russia
or in central and southern Europe.
since it was unwilling TO send troops:
It could not prevent conflicts between
rival races: it could not. because of
the material facts concerning Britain.
France, Italy and japan. make any
but a victor's peace with Germany.
and once IL had agreed upon its terms
and served them upon Germany. 1t
was plain that most Of the dreams
expressed in the league Of nations
were incapable of resiiza ton
To sum MP. Mr. Wilson came TO
Europe with an American nlan for
solving European problems But once
the solution was applied to the facts
It broke down. Mr. Wilson's prin-
ciples, for which he fought earnestly.
were put into the league Of nations
covenant and the European nations
solemnly accepted the covenant. but
having done this they proceeded to
frame their peace on the basis of
facts, financial. economical and ter
Could Not Do Otherwise.
They could not do otherwise. for
any other course meant ruin for their
countries and victory for Germany
But once this vas done there emerged
not peace Of Cancellation. but 4
treaty which put Germany for ISL
years literally in the hands Of her
conQuerors. and compelled her to work
under their direction to repay the
sums she had cost them through her
transform the league Of nations into
to keep Germany in nand until the
account was settled. after an indefinite
number OF years.
This. briefly, is the story OF the
collapse in Europe of the league of
nations. as p fact. Europe having in
dorsed Mr. Wilson's ideals, applied its