The sun., 1919-07-18
Change OF Mind and Change
Principle.

PRINCIPLE.
In its valiant attempt to keep up
with President WILSON'S tergiversa,
lions our nelghbor the Times under
takes to reproach those fellow citizens
who are not so agile:
IF he 1.-THE Presidentl changes his
mind on any public question, as every
statesman whose mind Is not stag
nant, and whose Judgment Is not
fixed beyond tthe power of change
and event, must do, the Republicans
blame him for his Arst opinion and
blame him for altering 1t. There is
no;pleasing them. 1t almost seems as
If they wesa obsessed by a hallucina-
ton, fixed idea. monomania."
This Is almost childish in concep.
ton, although perhaps noble in its
spirit of devotion. The Republicans,
as far as we have observed, are. much
more concerned about the preserva-
ton Of the American principles which
the Presidents scheme of supersev-
ereIgnty IL menacing than with the
preservation Of the Presidents own
intellectual and moral consistency.
The right Of statesman to change
his mind In the light of a changed
situation, and to adopt such new
methods as are suggested by the al
tered circumstances, is something
which no reasonable person will chal.
lenge. AS Mr.. WILSON has remarked:
The man who cannot change hi,
mind gives evidence of profound ig-
norance-if your mind does not
change when the world changes you
are no longer in harmony with the
world. I am willing to leave thing4
alone II you will guarantee that I
can go to bed and find them the same
In the morning"
What the Times seems to overlook
In it's apology for Mr.. WILSON'S multi.
tudinous tergiversations, and what
Mr.. WILSON himself overlooks in hi
own apology printed above, is the
difference between a change of mind
and change of principles.
President WILSON changed his mind
when he abandoned his former policy
of ignoring the Senators in the max
ing Of the treaty of peace and when
he went to the other extreme of al.
most feyerish desire for their presence
!, at the White House and the attention
of their one hundred and nlnety-two
honorable ears while he explains. Thi.
change of mind Is well within. his
1 statesman rights; and not the les.
within his rights because 1t is inspired
by political expediency rather thar
personal conscience.
On the other hand there is no such
defence for change in principles al.
. ready affirmed and accepted as immu
table. When statesman declares a,
sunset that This rock shall ay from
its hrm base az soon as IL and al
sunrise proceeds to decamp from that
firm rock with the insouciant explana
ton that If your mind doesn't change
: when the world changes you are nc
longer in harmony with the world, ht
makes himself ridiculous, If not con
/, temptible, In the view of a good man,
of his fellow citizens.
To illustrate again for the benefit O,
our neighbor and for all others whC
are seeking to excuse the Presidep
for his instability:
Certain principles. which the Presi
Gent declared to be unsusceptible o.
change or modification or compromis,
IN a single particular were embodied II
( n draft Of a covenant for a League O.
Nations; the document is TECHNICAL,
known as the American Plan. Wha
was In 1t was, that which was In tn,
Presidents mind when the barkainin,
!. at Paris began. Just what was in A
I, Is known to himself, and undoubtedly
to Colonel EDWARD NJ. HOUSE Of Texa,
and the Hotel Crlllon and probably t.
Secretary LANSING; perhaps to few
others who were in the President,
confidence half a year ago.
What has become Of this document
the Senate and the public do not We
Z know. The matter is of importanc,
because the American Plan or Projec
for the covenant Of the League of Ma
tons must have contained an exac
definition of the scope and powers o.
the League which Mr.. WILSON wen
across the Atlantic to secure from {
reluctant Europe; the original schem,
OF which he said on January 25 at tn,
second session OF the Conference:
Because this is the keystone OF
the whole fabric, we, have pledged
sar every purpose TO It. as we have