South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-09-05
VOOdrO70 Wilson Among The Lions That Sought To
DeUOM The World At The Paris Peace Conference

lated h0mesteads Of France. Bel
GUM. Serbia, and Italy. and even
while he opposed many OF the de-
mands OF their spokesrnen as calcu-
lated 70 continue the very evils that
had worked the wretchedness, his
sympathy was at all times with them.
COmradeship is an instinct with him,
and he could not have forgotten, had
he wished 10 do so. that America
had fought side by side with these
peoples This very real. understand
ing OF their wrongs this sense OF
blood brotherhood, made him patient
Of chicane. unfalteringly tolerant Of
deceit and selhshness, and robbed
him. OF weapons that il would other
wise have been in his power 10 use.
There is also this 70 bear in
mind. When the president in be-
half OF America. served notice upon
the world that the conference must
present a peace Of justice, he did
not mean a peace Of parole by any
means. Much Of the misunderstan nd
ing that muddles public thought to-
day is due 10 this confusion % JUS
tice with such words as mercy, len
lenCy, escape, cOndOnement, etc. The
president suffered from no such con-
fusion. What Germany had at
tempted was an intOlerable thing.
and il was right that she should
be made TO pay for the attempt.
The wrong that Germany had sought
TO do the world and TO civilization
was the greatest wrong in all his
tory, and there must be no weak
purpose with regard TO punishment.
There was to be no thought Of
crushing the German people, but
what had TO be burned into the con-
sciousness of the German people was
a due sense Of response oillty for the
horrors wrought by their mad ruler.
Thus the president spoke and thus
he thought.
Another difficulty in the path Of
tia president was the American sit
uation. Each day saw the French
and English press filled with quota
tons from the speeches Of repub-
lican senators and republican poll
ticians in which both the president
and his policies were repudiated and
a peace of victory urged. Particu-
lar emphasis was placed upon Mr..
Hays declaration that America will
uphold her allies in whatever repara-
ton they may exact for the fright
full outrages inflicted upon them by
the accused Huns
the president is either a compliment
TO the strength Of the man or else
a bitter commentary upon the fair
play of America, for his position
was pitiable and desperate. Instead
of support from the people whose
declared ideals he chempiOned. there
came only the steady shrilling or
the senate, vile in its abuse, treach-
erous in its desertion Of war aims,
enthusiastic in its announcement OF
every attack upon the president and
his principles. Facing him were
men who jeered him in their souls
and whose minds were set on his
defeat
For him TO have returned TO the
United States. as a protest, would
have been not merely desertion, but
actual betrayal. Left 20 themselves,
with every restraint removed, the
allies would have harked back 10
the congress Of Vienna for their in
spiration. giving themselves entirely
over 10 their fears hates, and ra-
pacities. and deciding upon a peSc
treaty at the last that would nave
doomed the world TO resume life
under the old menaceS of catastro
phe. Instead Of a League of Ma
tons. with its great world court for
the peaceful settlement Of interna-
tional disputes, only return TO the
evil balance Of power; instead OF
universal disarmament, freeing the
back Of humanity from a crushing
burden. more millions into navies
and even larger standing armies;