The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1919-01-09
Attitude of President Wilson AS
sures Harmony With the
British and French.
IN ACCORD ON MAIN POINTS
Destruction of Surrendered Enemy
Warships Is Favored-Bolsheviki
Out-Voted in Germany and Ebert
Government Given Greater
Power - Poland Be-
coming Very Az
gressive.
By EDWARD w. PIcKARD.


The tact with which President Will
son has received the Ovations accord
ed him in France has created most
favorable impression abroad and at
home Still more pleasing is 1t to
record the fact that he has gone to
Europe with a much more open mind
than many had feared was the case.
Though standing firmly on his four
teen points, he is open to conviction as
to the best means of applying his
ideas. In brief, he went across with
no set program for the adjustment OF
and he is devoting himself whole
heartedly to learning the views of the
representatives of the other nations.
On some of the greatest questions to
be determined, the organization of a
league of nations, the indemnity to be
assessed against Germany and the dis
position of the surrendered German
war fleet, it appears the American and
British delegates will be in full ac-
cord, and there is reason to believe
the French representatives will be sat
lisfied in these matters. Furthermore,
Mr.. Wilson, it is asserted in Paris, in
sists that in formulating the peace
treaty no one nation shall be allowed
to assume the role of master, debating
to the others their line of conduct.
Ia
The president has not changed his
views as to the foundation of league
CT nations, and those, in general, meet
with the approval of the British and
French. The French Society for a
League of Nations, of which Senator
Bourgeois is president, already has
drafted a complete plan for the consti-
tuition of such league and submitted
it to Premier Clemenceau. This So
ciety is not of recent formation. It's
delegates will confer with members of
similar organizations in the other al
lied countries and probably the result
of their deliberations will be submit
ted to the peace conference. One of
President Wilson's demands concern
ing such a league, namely, that its or
ganizatiOn shall be part of the peace
treaty, will meet with opposition in
America, if not at the conference.
Some Republican senator's are against
what they think would be unwise
haste in committing this nation to
such alliance and urge that the forma-
ton of the league should be delayed
and made the subject of a separate
treaty, if adopted at all. Senator
Knox started the debate by proposing
a resolution putting the senate On rec
ord as favoring the postponement of
both the league of nations and the
freedom of the seas questions until
after the settlement of the immediate
issues of the war;
Mr.. Taft, who for long has been pro-
noting the League to Enforce Peace,
is combating this Republican opposi-
ton and, it is said, has warned the
Republican senators that their course
may largely help the Democrats to
win the next presidential election.
Ia
AS for the matter of indemnity,
President Wilson has let it be known
that he is as determined as anyone
that Germany shall pay for the devas-
tation she has wrought, and doubtless
his visit to the regions the Huns raw
aged will not lessen this determine
ton. But, so far as is known, he does
not contemplate the exaction of punt
tive damages from Germany. The en-
tente allies have very clear idea OF
what should be demanded of the Ger
mans in the way of payment, for they
have been the actual sufferers, and it
is likely their views, when they reach