The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-11
Father Ryan.

ANU sWPs INV . usa" !" = grave rL- -
President Wilson has found this to be painfully true. He
went to Europe with high and noble ideals. The world was
safe for democracy. The war was won>. While he was com
manderin-c CHIEF Of the American army and navy he was much OF
a doctrnaire, and sought to bring the nations to his way of
thinking. For a time all went we'll; his fourteen points were
agreed to. The peace conference was to be a love feast, where
justice, mercy and charity were to rule. Revenge and selfishness
were to be oblterated. He soon discovered that he had mlscai-
culaed. The hated Hun must be punished, and in a manner
to profit the victors. France wanted much, and had her claims
allowed. Italy saw an opportunity to recover many priced pos
sessions. Other countries were equally importunate and insist
ent, and the Wtangle was started, and threatens fail" to disrupt
the proceedings and bring everything to naught. The animal
still remains in man, and the allies wanted reparation and COM
pensat1on. The slam carcass was there, and the vultures stroVe
with each other to see which one should devour it, Ideals and
ahruism paid no piper, and the nations that had suffered insisted
on receiving compensation, The aggregate demands made were
more than Germany could pay, and chaos was threatened
France, Belgium and Italy were camoring for restitution, and
they surely were entitled to 1t. The great trouble was that
there was not enough to go around, Germany could be utterly
destroyed, but, in such an event, none of the injured peoples
would receive anything. The old-time, greedy diplomacy
asserted itself: grasp and grab were the order Of the day. The
greatest dipolmat was the one who could get most Tor his coun-
thy, and ideals were sent to the scrap heap. The world would
not change and accept any new order OF things IRON America
We were treated with amiable courtesy and consideration as
was due a nation that had financed the war, and was expected
to finance rehabilitation, but each nation insisted on having its
pound of flesh to the last ounce. Not only the losses occasIoned
by the present war must be considered; wrongs Of ancient
vintage were brought forward, and the demand for rghting them
made. 1t was a case Of too many cooks spelling the broth,
After the Franco-Prussian war the French were told what was
due from them, and while the burden was sore and onerous, 1t
was better than doubt and uncertainty They found a way to
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academic speeches were made. Germany acted IN a blunt and
brutal manner; but she acted decIvely, and had done with it.
The present peace conference is a debating society and a time
killer. Being so slow, it is also a heart.breaker. It has taught
us one lesson, and that is that the world has not changed, and
that rough-and-ready pragmatism has not yielded to loeahsrn,
Brute force is the final argument, as it has always been, and
high ideals, while things of beauty, are fragile, and cannot with
stand the impact Of materiatisri,
Wilson has given the world a lesson in humanity which 1t
does not seem willing to learn, 1t will not be wholly lost
Every germ OF good implanted in the human consciousness takes
root and will grow, sooner or later, The time spent has not
been misspent, although the fruits may be slow in rlpening
America sought to lead the world along higher pathways OF
light and being, but it could not lift it out OF its old, mad,
brutal ways.
II the peace conference comes to naught the fault is not
ourr. We have done our best, and set new standards that yet
nay be adopted. Success is not the only criterion. There is a
virtue inherent in effort independent of success or failure, and
we have made an honest effort, Had we been united and Of one
mind things might have been different, but some senator's, who
think more of party advantage than of the advancement Of
humanity, could not resist the temptation to throw a monkey
wrench into the machinery when it was in fair working order
and the collapse followed,
What has been done is done, and good may come of it.
Time and thought and labor have been expended, and we may
be permitted to hope not in vain.
This old world must get along some way. II is not going
10 be thrown out Of its orbit, and will find itself after awhile,
President Wilson has made history, and his labors when
recorded will shine among the very brightest pages. If he has to
withdraw and come home, Europe may return TO its throat
cutting but even this must have an end sometime and in some
wav We certainly have done our part, and acted in the noblest
manner Our ideals are too lofty for Old World politics, but
they will not vanish from the earth, even il they are temporarily
wrecked.