The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1919-05-09
THE FLAW.

agree that President Wilson has cor
rectly interpreted the sentiment o
this country in expressing opposition
to secret treaties.
1t is assumed that treaty Is made
in secret only to cloak some Objec
tionable bargain; in order to obtair
some object for one or the other in
terested parties that could not receive
the approval of the people of the gov,
ernments involved.
Star chamber diplomacy has fallen
into disrepute. 1t is provocative Of
trouble and a constant menace to that
mutual confidence and good will sc
necessary to the preservation of peace
President Wilson's demand for
open covenants, openly arrived at,
accordingly met with the spontaneous
)roval of the people, not only OF
America, but of all countries.
They pinned their faith to that dec
laration as an assurance of justice
and fair dealing in the present confer
ence and as a certain defense against
intrigue and jobbing and bartering
of rights for selfish purpose that has
always heretofore discredited the work
of former conferences of like kind,
with the inevitable consequence of
dissatisfaction jealousy and ultimate
war.
But
How sad it is that We must always
reserve our butts" and Ifs" for the
u. 80 Nv %
distinguished from his announced de-
termination.
Here, again we have revealed the
fatal flaw in his character, so glazing
~ exemplified following his command
to Pershing to "get villa dead or
alive; in his repeated Mornings to
Carranza; through his humiliating ex-
change of notes with the imperial Ger
ran government before America en-
tered the war;
He seems to know what is right. he
has the faculty of clothing in INST
striking phraseology the most splen-
did purpose, but he lacks thu hardi.
IL, cd, the determination or the firm
L, IS of character necessary 10 enforce.
t:-e right. ..s- ]
This is more strange because he is
domino ring enough in his own house
hold. n domestic affairs ne is stub
trrn md unyielding. He has compelled
a sno:t, Went congress and serrile
.,ar;y t. DO his lightest bidding at all
times.
Yet, in the field of diplomacy, in
dealing with foreign powers. he has
and inevitably yielded, no
matter how trucculently and posi-
lively he had announced his determ-
nation or his position. -+t |
And so there is no reason to ex-
press surprise that the present treaty |
should have been made In utter Sec
recy In fact no surprise has been ex-
pressed. The world seems to have TAX
en- it as a matter Of course, though
there are plenty of objections to the
fact.
The representatives Of four Of the
allied powers, until Italy withdrew,
since when but the representatives of
but three, have formed and moulded
and created the document presented to
Germany. And the people of the allied
powers cannot know the provisions
of that document until after 1t has
been made known to the German gov
eminent, when it will be too late to
make any changes. The smaller allied
powers will have to accept its proyis-
ions no matter how they feel about
them with no more chance to obtain
changes or concessions in their favor
than the enemy Huns whom they
helped to defeat.
What a pity that he doesn't go
through to finish. carry on to the
end. Never before was a man gifted
with such amazing power Of putting
together faultlessly chosen words in
such animating, energizing phrases
And never before has a man SO com.
pletely discredited such a God giveI
gift. If he would only do as he directs
we would, as the dough boys say Of q
leader they admire, follow him to hell
But always, just as he has his follow
ers on the brink ready for the grea1
plunge, he dextriously slips off into
some convenient haven of expedi
ency, nonchantly leaving them dazed
demoralized and dumbfounded, cling
ing helplesssly and hopelessly to ar
abandoned ideal.
The truth is that it takes a fighter
to make good on boldly spoken word.
and we recall that in those remote
days before America entered the con
flict it was Candidate Wilson, ther
asking reelection because, he kept US
out of war;" who boosted to all the
world about being too proud to fight