The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-11-03
WOODROW wILsoN.


enemies." begins the Springfield Repub-
lican N q column editorial devoted 70 a
discussion OF the work OF President
Wilspn. And II is even 20. One might
perhaps say that martyrs are gen
oreiiy made ~ their enemies. The ran
cor with which the president has been
ssfhiIso. IN view Of al the clrcum-
stRnces, IL tragic exhibition OF par
tiaan bitterness. Whether or not his
friends love him more for the enemies
ho has fnsde. Il IN beyond question that
the latter have made more secure the
place he VIII be assigned IN history.
The Wilson league" they have termed
Il IN political campaign. and quite
reG4rdless OF lie fate, the Wilson league
Il VIII be known 10 future generations
Yet Il 10 guile well known that the
league idea 20 prevent wars was not
original with the president.
What T. seems might ave softensd
sorne Of the asperity toward the presi-
dent, but did not, 10 his broken health
ana the certain knowledge that, r..
gardiess Of the result Of the election, me
Il soon 70 BE- eliminated from the polit-
zeal equation. II was reasoned that
there was irritation in some quarters
eFtr extreme measures adopted for
sn4ffyine on the war--and this must be
scapifeiised. n wak insisted that he was
rot properly coneiiiatory In HE efforts
- procure ratification OF the league
ana this was Get down a. an exhibition
nf sutocracyi The great things &C.
sson,piished ana attempted, however.
sxiil occupy the Attention of those who
come after ~ when they contemplate
he fecord, and not the petty Incidents.
IN the course Of its comment, the Re-
publican observes:
Whether the majority Of the Amer
.sran people Of today like Il or not.
president Wilson did a tremendous
thing, from any historical or political
view whatever. In driving the idea and
then the reality Of the league Of nations
iSto the consciousness OF mankind.
The league OF uations ID 90 big and even
10 sublime IN conception, Il Il NO alive
with vital principle OF the future civ.
iiixation Of the world that, regardless Of
its defects In It's present form, the
fame OF ith creator ana foremost cham.
zion - assured Of earthly Immortality"
Few thoughtful persons will challenge
the yiew here expressed. The political
enemies Of Wilson have indeilbIy iden- |
iihd hie name with the ideal OF inter- |
national organization against war. They |
rave made. certain that the calcium |
lixht OF pns3efsty will be focused upon |
him ana hie policies The hanging OF |
the corpse of Cromwell after he was
dead ana the rearing OF his skull on |
the root 81 Westminster hall. did not |
astract from hin fame IN after time. |
lsnt added 70 Il, Inevitably there coraea |
u juster appreciation. Burning Joan cf |
Arc al the stake IN one generation ala |
not prevent her canoninstion IN A sub. |
sequent one. And when the NEXT great |
war breaks out. as Is pointed out BY |
he Republican. ms II most likely viii |
&c. the thought will instinctiyeiy recur
hat 4 might have been prevented by
ilic Wilson league" Our contemporary
Sontinues;
That the reaction against this
colossal project Of human statesman.
ship should have taken on fierce and |
Analignant temper ID not perhaps nur-
prihing, when one considers some OF 1
the ancient ausceptihilities and pref
udices which II crosses and the tradi.
tons which In some measure Il un-
agoidably elnahes. But this reaction
again only testines TO the grand scale
on which Mr., Wilson worked, and the
daring goniup Of hls plan--even n we
pust say also the characterization and
ihepitude With which he attempted TO
thrust aside some OF the obstacles In
his Path.
Again. We are IN agreement. The fore
wasng quotation IL well stated. That
there has been characterization and IN.
optituds" IL beyond dispute. The writer
has been nv no means able 70 approve
All o. the president's methods of pro.
cndure. They have doubtless frequently
his success IN achievement.
But these ere mere hlemiehes and will
soon disappear History win make ut
ITO or no note Of them. Az the paper
quoted declares IN conclu.
sion, what viii be regarded IN the final
summing up win be that "the moral
forces he rnebilizcd and threw az best
he could into the face OF the worlds
war-makers, on the heels OF the worlds
greatest war, must ultimately have
their victory or civilization win meet
~ end on bleeding and smoking
earth"