The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-02-27

Z
SO slowly. from day 20 day In Paris
II seems 10 60 slowly, but wonder
!. you realize the complexiiy Of ths
! task which Il has undertaken II
stems ms II the settlements OF this
war affect, and affect directly every
great. and | sometimes think every
small. Nation 10 the world. and no
che decision can prudently be made
which is not properly linked In with
the great series OF other decisions
which must accompany II, and II
must be reckoned In with the anal
insult II the real qualify and charao-
ter Of that result is to be properly
judged.
Hearing Whole Case
What We are doing is TO hear the
whole case: hear II from the mouths
OF the men most interested, hear Il
from those who are ofricially com
missioned to state Il; hear the rival
claims: hear the claims that affect
new nstionalities. that affect new
areas of the world. that affect new
G. numerical and economic connec-
tions that have been established by
the great world war through which we
have gone.
And | have been struck by the
iaodera,eness OF those who have rep
National claims. can
testify that | have nowhere seen the
CLEAN OF passion. have seen ear
nestness, have seen tears come to
the eyes OF men who plead for down
trodden PEOPLE whom they were priv
LEGGED to speak for; that they were
lot the tears Of anger, they were the
tears of ardent hope.
And | don't see how any man can
fail to have been subdued by these
pleas. subdued to this feeling, that
he was not there to assert an in
dividual judgment Of his own but to
try to assist the case Of humanity.
"No Nation Suspects V. S."
"And in the midst of II all every
IL reaches Paris, the representatives
Of the United States. Why? Be-
cause, and | think | am stating the
most wonderful fact In history-be-
cause there is no Nation in Europe
that suspects the motives OF the
United States.
WAS there ever so wonderful a
thing seen before? Was there ever
SO moving thing? Was there ever
any fact that SO bound the Nation
that had won that esteem forever to
deserve it?
Il would not have you understand
that the great men who represent
the other Nations there in conference
are disesteemed by those who know
them. Quite the contrary But you
that the Nations of Eur
cpe have again and again clashed
with one another in competitive in
lerest.
1t is impossible for men to for
get those sharp issues that were
drawn between them in times past.
r. is impossible for men to believe
that all ambitions have all Of sud-
den been foregone. .
They remember territory that was
coveted; they remember rights that
IL was attempted to extort; they re-
political ambitions which it
vas attempted to realize-and. while
hey believe that men have come in
10 different temper, they cannot for
get these things and so they do not
resort to one another for dispas-
sionate view of the matters In con
.royersy They esort to that Nation
which has won the enviable distinc-
lion of being regarded as the friend
Of mankind.
faYou may be proud of the 26th Div
sion, but | commanded the Goth Di-
iision, and see what they did under
ny direction, And everybody prais-
Is the American soldier with the feel
ng that in praising him he is sub
racting from the credit OF no one
Use.
Il have been searching for the
fundamental fact that converted Du-
ope to believe in U.s. Before this
var Europe did not believe in US as
he does now. She did not believe
n us throughout the first three years
4 the war. She seems really to have
elieved that we were holding OF be-
ause we thought we could make ,
core by staying out than by going In.
And all Of sudden. in short IL
ionths. the whole verdict IL re-
ersed There can be but one ex-
lanation for II They saw what we
id-that without making = single
lain we put all our men and all our
leans at the disposal Of those who
'ere fighting for their homes, In
re frst instance. but for . cause.
ie cause OF human rights and jus
ce, ana that we went In, not to sup
ort their National claims, but to
lpport the great cause which they
ED In common.
And when they saw that America
ot only leld ideals. but acted ideals.
lev ware converted to America and :