The Washington herald., 1920-03-06
Mutual Distrust Pervades
All Nations, With Every
body Against America.
CALL WILSON MADMAN
United States Political
Nightmare, Unloved but
Feared.
Nublfe Ledger Service. Special
Gable Dispateh.)
By CARL w. ACKERMAN.


resentatives are following a policy
OF detachment" a policy which
nsfthsr the allied nor the Central
European countries can understand
because. while officially we refuse to
take part in conferences and refuse
to laccel I our responsibilities in the
negotiations, through the White
House and the power of our dollars
in foreign commerce., we hold a
vetD power.
Europe generally looks upon
America as the Nero of the world.
By turning thumbs down we defeat
or upset the most important poIit-
ical and economic plans OF Euro
pean nations. Is ii surprising II.
faith in and friendship for America
should be far below par? Is II
astonishing IL the people of Europs
arr now convinced that as a nation
we are a dnIlar-chasinE dollar
squanderinG, dictatorial democracy?
Composite View UnhafferiaE.
For more than a month now in
England France, Italy and Svitzer-
land I have been listening to Eu-
ropes opinions of America There
are exceptions. of course, to the
picture draw. We still have splen-
did friends over here, men and
women who understand why we
make 50 many unfortunate mistakes
and foreignets who know America
and comprehend our peculiar poll
tics But to the great masses this
10 their view. their composite pic
ture Of the United States today;
America as a nation is just passing
through adolescence and President
Wilson il q political witch whom
the Senate wishes to burn at the
stake.
For prohibition America is laugh
ed at, for high prices We are con-
demned as misguided idealists.
America is envied or pitied. As
individuals, Americans are persons
with good intentions, generous pur-
poses, but with mistaken ideas about
foreign politics. Still Americans as
individuals are likable enough de-
spite the faults of their govern
ment, the idiosypcracies of their
President, and the pranks of their
propagandists.
Call Wilson Madman.
in Rome / was assured we had a
madman in the White House. In
London I met as many who welcomed
President Wilson's notes as those
who denounced them. In Paris the
PRESIDENT is considered some sort of
demon from Mars. pelting the
earth with moral lectures.
Everywhere 1 travelled. from the
Thames to the Tiber. Wilson, Amer
lean prohibition, and the high-dol-
lar exchange, were questions had
to discuss with all, whether Ameri-
cans or foreigners. 1 had to listen
to their opinions because Europe is
opinionated today. Every man will
assure the newcomer that his own
opinion is infallible. Often as 1
listened to these arguments 1 would
leave convinced that the whole world
was unbalanced and recall the old
Quaker's admonition to his wife,
all the worlds a little queer, but
me and thee, dear. and even thee's
a little odd"
1t is curious what forms the
American nightmare takes. No one
thinks of America without thinking
OF Wilson too. Some foreigners
draw a distinction but others lump
them together. although to Ameri-
can officials or travellers personally
they say they have no ill will
Views Widely Divergent.
The President, however. is differ
ent. He is either a demented dicta-
tor ruling a nation of puppets or a
great leader expressing aspirations
of a new world order. To some, now
unfortunately only a very few in
deed. he is the hope of Europe. To
others, the great majority, he is
Europe's greatest stumbling block
Since his Illness all THE gossip of
America has come over here, spread
like a plague, and infected everyone.
Almost daily there is something in
the foreign newspapers trying to
explain President Wilson, and his
ideas.
But foreigners are curious They
express an opinion about Mr. Wilson
and hasten to explain that of course
what they say about the President
Is not intended for America. No.
indeed. Then they hurry to ask
BY the way. does Mr.. Wilson really
represent American
Fear of Americas veto power
financially. economically and politi-
cally makes even the most unwise
cautious.
To judge from sentiment TODAY.
one would think Europe most un-
grateful. that Europe had forgotten
everything America did. everything
cosrISUEp ON PAGE -FOUR