Evening star., 1919-03-24
WILSON PRESTIGE IN
EUROPE STRONGER
THAN EVER BEFORE
Continued from First Page.)

the league of nations covenant. No
one in Europe gives them passing
notice. save in few restricted quar-
ters. One similarly reads with amaze
ment the assertion that all Europe is
enthusiastically committed to the
covenant of the league of nations
This is mere nonsense. Europe is in
terested in keeping as much faulty
and ignorance out of the covenant as
possible. it's interest in the text is
purely negative. it doesn't believe in
the text as such.
Last of all. one comes to the point
of view of Americans in Europe out
side of the Presidents encourage.
These have no interest in the league
of nations covenant They recognize
that all through the early stages of
the war the President was totally
out of accord with their sympathy
with the allied cause; they believe,
not too unreasonably. that he cares
little now about anything but abb
stract academic phrases.
But. on the other hand. if they do
not sympathize with Mr.. Wilson's
course. they emphatically do not with
the American opposition to it; they
regard with equal amazement and
disappointment the course of the op-
position in deliberately adopting now
the policy that Mr.. Wilson followed
for three years of war. namely, the
policy of ISOLATION. separation from
Europe. its sufferings. it's strivings,
it's battle. which remains our battle
They look with something approach
President, the opposition to which
these Americans belong, attacking
that association with Europe. which
is for them the most vital of all ques-
tions.
:, Nor is it different with many repub-
10 in LNyro
are no more enthusiastic for the
President and his later policies than
they have been for any of his early
policies. But they feel strongly, deep
ly that our task in Europe is in
complete that many of their comrades
will have died in vain if we do not
fort1fy their victory with a solid
peace, which shall enable western
democratic Europe to escape bolshe-
vlSm to return to an ordered exist
ence. They recognize bolshevism as
a second menace. become real now the
German peril has disappeared. They.
too, are dismayed by the apparent line
of action adopted in America.
AS long as opposition in America
concentrates its attack upon the prin-
ciple OF American association with
Europe in the preservation of peace.
in the reorganization of life and in
dustry on the old basis, Mr.. Wilson
VIII continue to exercise undiSputed
mastery in the Paris conference in
which no man agrees with his abb
stract principles, all men chafe at his
insistence upon postponing peace un-
til he has carried out his own pro-
gram. But not only that, but after
peace comes, every appeal Europe
can make to the heart and conscience
of America will be made on Mr.. Will
sons behalf, if he is permitted to
retain his present position of sole
champion in America of the cause
of European salvation, the first friend
of our stricken allies, for whom
American friendship. moral as well
as material, is a matter of life and
death.
So far. the republicans seem to be
making the same mistake in Europe
with respect of Wilson that they
made so frequently in America with
respect of Roosevelt-they are at
tacking him at the one point where
he is invulnerable SO far as his pub
lie is concerned.
Copyright 1919, by the Mcclure Newspaper
- ag1dieats-A