The Carlisle independent., 1920-10-21
A SHIFTING CONSPIRACY

Thread by thread the fabric of the conspiracy to destroy Woodrow Will son has been woven. Its weavers were political opponents of the presi-I dent, who expected party benefit, re- gardless of the interests of the United States. The conspirators began early and on the job they were thorough going opportunists. They started to work in the early fall of 1918, when the biennial congressional elections were in full swing, and when it was obvious from happenings in France that the American armies would lead the allies to the greatest military vic- tory in history. The triumph at hand was not that of any political party. There was glory enough in it for ev- cry race, every creed, every section and every political organization, but certain small-minded Republicans, desperate over three successive polit- ical defeats, feared that a glorious military victory and a more glorious peace under a Democratic regime would have made the Democratic ten ure of office indefinite. This they set out to prevent.
 George Greet, in his brilliant series of articles about the war, brings to mind vividly those memorable days of 1918. The military victory that was in the air could have been nothing more or less than the triumph of the whole nation, but the peace of justice that was being planned would have been an immortal monument to the genius and world vision of Woodrow Wilson. It must not be. Carthage delenda est could never have been more determined Roman slogan than the "WilsOn must be destroyed sen timent that was in the hearts of his opponents. As Mir. Creel reminds us, how different are the tune and words of the Republican battlecry two years ago to what they are today, but if we examine the airs and sentiments all are directed to the same end.
 Back in 1918 the Republicans were yelling that Wilson was preparing an easy, mollycoddle peace. Now they are clamoring that 1t is too strong, too binding Two years ago the po litieal opponents of Wilson were serv- ing notice on our European allies of a division in this country, even while our boys were being shot down by the thousands, and they were trying as well to tie the hands of our chief peace negotiator even before the war was over. The anti Wilsonites then were shouting for "blood and iron" peace, and Will Hays was running up and down the country yelling that America twill uphold her allies in whatever reparation they may exact for the frightful outrages inflicted upon them by the aecursed Huns"
 But times have changed. The same men who two years ago were de manding that Germany be trampled upon and crushed in the dust are now working hand in glove with those pro- Germans who both openly and secret ly did not cease to work for Germany during the war and during the peace same men now is not to uphold but to repudiate our allies. And behind these political manifestants the Deutschland uber alles' crowd is rallying, because they see in the re- jection of the peace treaty, with an unacceptable separate peace nothing but the breaking up of the grand al iiance and a return to power of mil itaristfc Germany.
 The picture that MT. Creel draws of President Wilson in this crisis is the most gripping, the most inspir ing we have ever read. Woodrow Wilson knew full well that he held the most exalted position ever occu- pied by any man in history; that he was almost deifed in Europe and that he could have held this place had he consented to allow Europe to make peace of it's own choosing. As MT. Creel tells us, he was under no illu- sions about the philosophy or the ethics of European statesmen. He knew that in victory they would for get their high professions of justice peace and fraternity, and that in their minds would be nothing but thoughts of revenge, conquest and the tearing of the last ounce of trib- ute from the vanquished. President Wilson never once doubted that to op- pose these clamorous victors would be for himself to be hurled from his lofty pedestal, and yet he deliberate ly chose this sacrifice in order that he might bring to the American peo- pie the kind of peace he had prom ised them. The words that the pres ident used to MT. Greet on the first trip overseas burn themselves into our memory.
 People will endure their tyrants for years, but they tear their deliv- erers to pieces if a millennium is not created immediately.
 And yet this man who sacrificed honors unequaled and a world posi- tion unparalleled that he might lay the foundation of a world organiza- tion for peace-this same man is ac- cused of uniting the free nations to- gether for the purpose of war,-Com- mercial Appeal.
 WESTERN NEW YORK APPLE