The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-09
The President
In Europe

While Americans pride themselves
on being the freest people on earth,
there is one bOnd-that Of precedent
which holds them so securely as to
constitute, at times, a very serious
interference with the exercise of
rights and the performance of duties
necessary for the public welfare.
It was this, and this alone, which
caused such widespread delirium
throughout the country a few weeks
ago when President Wilson announc-
ed his purpose of going to Europe.
Everyone admitted the fact that he
had perfect right to go, but thous-
ands Of our leading citizens protested
vigorously against such course largely
because the thing had never been
done by any other occupant Of the
White House.
The President is now in Europe and
has been there for over two weeks
moreover he has been absent from
the United States for nearly month,
and still none of the dire calamities
predicted by those who opposed his
trip have come to pass; while, on the
other hand, it is becoming more and
more apparent to every one who
keeps in touch with the march of
events that it is very fortunate that
we have in Woodrow Wilson, at least
one citizen who declines to let the
silly American superstition that a
thing not yet done should never be
done, interfere with the full exercise
of the right and duty to follow the
dictates of ones conscience and best
judgment rather than senseless rules
of precedent
Long before the war closed, it was
apparent that, when the end came,
the terms Of the armlstice would be
based largely, if not entirely, upon
the ideas of justice outlined by our
President in his message to Congress
and his notes to the Central Powers
and ever since the signing of the ar
mistice it has been equally clear that
the final peace terms will be nodded
very closely along the lines which
President Wilson considers best for
the worlds welfare. This is true
both because he represents the great
est Of all nations and one which, al.
though it has been the deciding fac
tor in the war, has no selfish interests
to promote at the peace table, and
also because he has become through
his public utterances and official acts
the recognized and universally trust
ed premier of the world. And, if the
proposed league Of nations were now
in existence, and the proposition of
electing apresident of that league
were pending before the nations of
the world, Woodrow Wilson would. un-
doubtedly be chosen for that exalted
office without opposition.
Our President, then, is in a posi-
ton which makes it incumbent upon
him to become, with the least possible
delay, Thoroughly familiar with the
many delicate and complicated inter-
national problems which must be
death with in the framing of the
final peace terms. This information
he is getting at first hand by his close
contact with the people whom he
meets and the conditions which he
views not only in France and oLndon,
but drought the devastated regions
of France and eBlgium. 1t may be
easy enough here in a peaceful and
prosperous Americana matter how
much one may desire to be just-to
say that the war should end without
indemnities and without the infic-
ton of. punishment upon those res
ponsible for it, but to really just
in the matter to all concerned, one
should see with his own eyes (at