Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-02-26
Thursday, February rs. 1920.
You cannot build . reputation on
the things you are going to do"
Particeps Criminis

''S' t'''d6hL Jul D. III tiic anu VI d
large body Of advisors, ii cOmprel1en-
sive scheme. not only for the league
Of nations. but for the embodiment of
the fourteen points in on actual
treaty. But in fact he had thought
out nothing; when II cainc to prac-
lice, his ideas were nebulous He
had no plan. no scheme. no construc-
Tive ideas whatever for clothing with
inc nesh OF life the commandments
lie had thurdered from the White
House. He was in many respects ill
Informed as to European conditions
His mind Was slow and. unada ptable
There can seldom have been a states
,nan Of the first rank more incompc-
tent in the agilities of the council
chamber. His mind was too slow
end unresourceful to be ready with
any alternatives. He was capable Of
digging his toes in and refusing to
Judge, as he did over Fiume. But he
had no other mode of defense He
did not remedy these defects by seek
ing aid from the collective wisdom
of his lieutenants-who knew. with
one or two exceptions, as little Of
Europe as he did. He allowed him
self to be closeted. unsupported, I'M
advised, and alone, with men much
sharper than himself
AS the president had thought
nothing out. the council was gen
orally working on the basis of a
French or British draft He had to
take up therefore, a persistent atti-
tude OF obstruction, criticism and
hegation. Compromise was inevita-
bic, and never to compromise on the
essential, very difficult. AS
soon as he had taken that road the
defects Of his temperament and
Equipment were fatally apparent. He
could take the high line; he could
practice obstinacy; he could write
notes from Sinai or Olympus; he
could remain unapproa enable in the
White House or even in the Council
or Ten and be safe. But If ne once
stepped down to the intimate euuali-
ty OF the -Four, the game was evil
IDENTIFY up"
The above is not the partisan
clsmor Of rampant" Republican or
sore head" Democrat but is taken
from the Introductory chapters of
The Economic Consequences Of the
Peace" by John Maynard Keynes, a
representative Of the British Treas
nry on the Supreme Economic Coun
ell at Paris during negotiations.
Some will probably assume this
Keen portraiture to be affected by
prejudice. Be that as it may, when
compared with what we know of the
subject, also compared with the por-
traits Mr.. Keynes drew of Llovd
George and Of Clemenceau, paying to
The latter the compliment Of being
by far the most eminent member of
the Council" one is unavoidably i'm
pressed.
That Mr.. Wilson was the ardent
Hampton of noble ideal we be-
'ieve. There is moreover wide
spread belief that this ideal is work
able in some form, even now in the
relapse that has followed wartime
exaltation. And yet, such is the
seeming irony Of fate. it now is be-
coming probable that the idealist
himself will be the obstruction to the
iulfilment.
Because Europe sorely needed US
because Wilson spoke as one of au-
'horty when he was not, Europe
Yielded much. Intoxicated by this he
was blinded to his actual power or
rather, lack Of power. He contempt
uously offended those who must as
sumo equal responsibility with him.
self: he angered partisanship by call
ing for Democratic senate, and so
ignoring loyal support from others;
he deprived himself of the assistance
of minds trained as his could not be:
in other words he dug the Dit in
which tho ideal is now laundering.
but others are also guilty of putting
it there.
It has from the first been easy
10 understand the hostility in the
Senate. Possibly there are some
Of those senator's who might. had
the ideal burned in them as it did in
the President have risen above the
temptations and the insults, but II il
becoming more evident each day that
had they done 50. they would have
been unable to square their duty with
the Presidents intolerance. Now
that he has been stricken by sickness,
row that his judgment is seen to be
in the deplorablc condition shown by
the Lansing affair, the hope Of a
treaty Of reservations becomes daily
more fororh There is, however, no
excuse for the Senate to continue its
dilatory tactics longer Let 1t have
at least the dignity to do something
definite and the courage to force the
result. 1t has assumed responsibility
as was its right. The world is sick
"a