The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-10-28
TOO MUCH POMP.

! NE. of the most un-Ameriean OF the very many
~ un-American things about the formation of the
League Of Nations was the Pomp and splendOr attend
ing the royal progress Of the Presidential party through
Europe on the way to the Peace conference.
We recall that the President Of our United States,
establishing an absolutely precedent by absenhng
himself from the country while at war, htted
up the good ship George Washington into VEN
table floating palace took with him 400 retainers-
small army Of cooks. orchesuas, mancurlsts, BARRIERS
specialists Of every known vanety-and staged pa
geant through Europe that has not been surpassed since
the time Of the Queen of Sheba He spent thousands
Of dollars Of our money in heraldng his approach by
posters and handbis scattered in every city and ham
let through which he would pass.
Before going he took over the cables ostensibly to
get news of our soldier boys back to speedily
as possible. but really, we have since learned, 10
make it absolutely sure that news of the debera-
tons of the Peace conference might get back to con-
ess This in the face of the fact that the senate IS
our treaty making body and should have been kept in
closest touch with all deliberations of the conference
All this happened Immediately after the arnlshce
when mothers and fathers all over the land were spend
ing nights Of agony-long days Of watching, waiting
for new of their boys lust to know if their boys were
dead or wounded in a hospital Or lying yet IN some
German prison or wandering shellshocked, somewhere
In Europe!
When Mr. Wilson took over the cables. did this
longed for news begin TO Gomez mol Instead, we
had long front-page newspaper articles describing IN
detail Mr.. Wilson's progress through EuroPe-hls
dining at Buckingham palace eating off Of ,OOU,-
900 gold PLATED His travelling in state beside kings
and queens The wonderful palace placed at his dis
posal by Prince Murat! The handsome gondola-
shaped bed in which he reposed at night! he beau
tful nlad table before which he sat, facing picture
Of Cupid and Psyche while he pOndered affairs Of
stated
Do you think that the mothers over here, praying
for news of their boys. cared whether MIR. Wilson
was eating off of SIS 100000 gold plate or out OF
the zinc cans from which their boys were eating at the
tirne7 Do you think they cared whether Mr.. Wilson
was travelling in state with kings and queens or wadInS
knee-decp in mud as were their boys at Brest at the
time2
Mr.. Wilson, through Mr.. Creel, held the cables
and filled them with news of his splendor in order
that the senate might not get information on the League
of Nations until he brought it back to demand, as he
did, immediate ratification without debate
Immediate ratification without debate2 Oh, no,
said the senate Just wait bit cts see what IS
in here before &c sign! And remember thai not only
the Republican senators baked at this order; twenty
three of the fory-sx Democratic senators refused to
sign also. And SO they held ii up And we are gong
to continue to hold it up by vote next tuesday,
until Harding can call together the wsest minds IN our
land and, with them, formulate draft for an assoca-
tce of nations in which we can assist III bringing about
world peace without sacrificing national ndePcnc,
cnce!