The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-01-14
APPREHENSION
THAT WILSON
HAS Seen FEW
SCARS OF " | Ar
- ss5- gSs Il 4 5Ea
Paris Observers Strain Eyes
to Glimpse Intent to.
Serious Work
THE VELVET COVERS UP
GRIM PURPOSES BENEATH
Several Phases Have Aroused
Resentment; Baker Should
Stay Home"
!, Ry Charles H. Dennis

e.. Z
| Especial Cable to st. Paul Pioneer
Press and Chicago Daily News.
Copyright, 1919.
Paris, Jan. 14.President Wilson
having practically completed his
round of courtesy calls. though Brus-
sells still awaits him, observers in
Paris are looking with strained in
terest1 for any Developments that
will give an indication Of the state Of
mind wherein the American execu-
tive approaches the serious work of
the peace conference.
Has the presidents remarkable
greeting by Europe nerved or un-
negved him for. the task by which he
is confronted? He is far removed
from the great idealistic nation for
which he is the official spokesman;
His present state of mind is believed
to be a mystery even to his chosen'
helpers. -. 4.
Keen Apprehension Feft. 5
There is keen apprehension In
some quarters lest the president has
seen too much Of the agreeable side
of European officialdom and too
little Of. the scars and grim purposes
that lie below the velvet. For the
lAmerican, people, and perhaps the
world, ,.it would be tragedy if the
president should fail to rise to the
existing situation, since the great
forces of help and healing have no
other spokesman.
War-torn and anarchy-thre atened
Europe from it's couch Of suffering
tspeaks courageously, determindly
and not without spiritual illumina-
Etion, but in great physical distress.
1t remains for the American presi-
dent to apply that quick generosity
which is the higher form Of prudence,
the economic aid for which Europe
languishes.
Work Going Badly. ~1
It is a lamentable fact that our
work in this all important field has
been going badly. Such questions
as the pooling of raw materials for
the opening Of the idle factories Of
Europe and the extension of credits
to the natfone threatened with evils
of unemployment have been practi-
cally ignored, if one may judge from
the privately expressed alarm and
distress of the representatives Of the
allied countries. Great producers OF
raw materials who thought Of send
ing a volunteer committee to Paris
received no encouragement from Of
fetal quarters and so abandoned the
project.
Even the pressing matter of food
distribution has been so handled by
the allied nations as to arouse re-
sentiment. Hungry peoples waited
| for weeks and some are still waiting
while needless quarrels over proceed
ure were threshed out. The spirit
of bestowing help first and letting
the credit for the service 60 to all
who participate regardless Of nice
distinctions has perhaps not been
sufficiently manifest.
The American peace delegation is
in certain sense one-man dele
CATION. There are, as Lloyd George
has said, advantages in such a state
of things, but what if that one man
goes home? President Wilson is 60
ing home long before the conference
is over. Who then will represent the
United States? Secretary of War
Baker, it is reported, is coming to
take. his place. Certainly that will
+ not help matters.
Thoug ghtful Americans in Paris ex-
press grave alarm over the situation.
They say that the American nation
may suffer humiliation and distress.
unless the one-man rule with the
one man presently disappearing from
the scent, be changed to sounder
policy. They say that Mr.. Baker
should be, kept at home and some
strong man of international view
point and no political entanglements
be sent to participate in the work Of
the conference.
Idealism is sorely needed at the
peace table, but it should be made
effective by determination to be-
stow present help as will overcome
n, r;e;,,o forces of disintepration