Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-04-14
E'ssnin,'',t EvsuinS Yesterday asras .sl44US
Ouitter" and Outsider"


RAYMOND B. Fosdick, just back from
Europe. following his resignation OF the
position Of under secretary-geperai OF the
League Of Nations, speaks both vigor-
ously and plainly about the failure OF tins
country 10 take It's place as member
and leading member, of the League. ~
has caused us 10 be regarded abroad. ne
ssys, as race Of quitters," while "our
professions Of idealism and disinterested-
ness are marked down for sham ana
hypocrisy
There is danger in our situation, also,
IN the opinion OF Mr. Fosdick. We have
assumed position Of isolation from the
worlds affairs, and this, he argues, means
thst we must pay attention. first OF all
20 armament. Armament is regarded rs
essential 10 support of isolation, and
already plans are under consideration
AT Washington for providing our country
with the biggest navy in the world And
this will involve q large outlay OF money
More than this, Mr. Fosdick, holds that
what he terms the ''ghastly business at
Washington"-the killing of the Treaty OF
Peace and repudistion of the League OF
Nations-has left Us without a TREND
anywhere. All that we won during the
war we have deliberately thrown away.
The influence that we had in our position
of leadership, the affection IN which
everything relating to America was mel q,
have all gone by the board.
These are strong protests, yet their
truth will be recognized. We can readily
recall the peans Of praise for our country
that were sung throughout devastated
Europe when the weight of our mailed
hand had crushed the German besst and
freed an Europe from a deadly menace.
No longer are they sung by the people
II the devastated countries. They now
seem TO look upon us as a sinister agency
which, after having saved them from
yrest peril. surlily turned away and lett
them 10 work out their own salvation
as best they might. Not that they looked
20 US for direct relief in money and direct
assumption of their burdens, but that
they confidently expected US to take
the lead in a powerful organization for
preserving the peace of the world. which
without our co-operation would be most
difficult for them. This is why. public
sentiment in Europe towards our country
has so radically changed.
And how il has schanged, even become
perverted, here at home. 4 little more
than score Of years ago, after the close
4 our senseless-though fortunately
brief-war with Spain, we assumed
duties and responsibilities that traversed
our ocean boundaries and made us an
active participant IN the affairs OF the
outside world. Against what was then
such radical departure from our long
established national custom there was
natural protest. II was an experiment,
and many regarded 1T as one fraught with
ianger. But a Republican national
administration reigned ut Washington,
and the Republican slogan was that the
time had arrived when we must throw
aside our swaddling clothes and take our
rightful place as one of the natuaal and
potent arbiters of the worlds affairs. And
50 came the Philippines, Guam, Porto
Rico, and in large measure, Cuba.
Now, after the conclusion of the worlds
greatest and most devastating war. one
eaving in its train more problems IN
volving the well-being of the people than
sver before clamored for settlement, the
political influences that insisted upon !
our country becoming q world nation
4 score of years ago now insisted upon |
ISOLATION and an absolute avoidance Of |
'entangling foreign alliances" 1t de- |
mands that we attend TO our own affairs !
only, and leave the people of Europe |
severely alone in their desperate task of /
rehabilitation and recovery from the |
5lighting effects OF war. We must not |
even join with them for the splendid and
ennobling cause of assuring to the
world. our own country included, the |
blessings Of worldwide peace.
This is why public opinion in Europe is /
changing. why we have fallen from our /
recent high estate of possessing the |
gratitude and good feeling of the people |
Of Europe. In one way we can stand the |
change. II may not cost US dollar; we |
may even profit financially to certain |
extent. But we have lost confidence and |
sacrificed high prestige. And this is a |
sacrifice no enlightened nation can afford |
to make.