The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-29
HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF
Mr.. Wilson Played In Paris the Role
of Gear Alexander at Vienna.

To THE NEW YORK HERALD: In q
brief paper by Frederick Won Cent?,
secretary to the Congress OF Vienna. we
get a glimpse OF another auto rat.
The Napoleonic wars were ended by
the Treaty of Paris in 1914, though the
final redrawing of the map of Europe
and division OF the spoils among the vic
tors was reserved for congress OF the
great Powers to be held in Vienna. Rus
sia's position in the Napoleonic wars
was similar to our position in the world
war she came In near the end and gave
the finishing stroke.
The Gear was visionary and
dreamer. He concluded to attend the
Congress OF Vienna in person. Here is
Gentzs account of him:
The Emperor OF Russia has come to
Vienna. in the first place to be admired
(Which "a always the principal thing In
his thoughts. and next 10 direct person
ally the important arrangements which
should fix the boundaries and the future
position of the many states which
claimed their share OF the immense
spoil which Is placed at the disposal OF
the Allies by their success against the
common enemy.
his OBJECT was 10 mingle In all the al
fairs of the European nations and TO
pass as an arbiter OF their destinies.
1t is a remarkable fact that only 100
years ago the great Po-crs OF Europe
at the close of a series of wars that
had devastated Europe for more than
twenty years entered into solemn COM
pact TO prevent wars in the future and
to preserve the political integrity and
existing boundaries OF European coun-
tries as fXed by the Treaty OF Paris and
the Congress Of Vienna. and that this
that we hear made in the present CAM
paign, and with the Same professions
of solemnity and confidence. Yet so fu-
tile and ephemeral were the arrange
-ments then made, and so little impress
did they make upon the history of the
time. that scarcely one voter in thou
sand to-day who thinks the League Of
Nations viii work successfully has even
heard of them.
Within two years the compact began
TO so to pieces. In less than ten years
The first break was in Spain, where the
King, Ferdinand VII. arbitrarily set
aside the constitution. The people rose
against this act and the Holy Alliance
stepped in and put down the rebellion.
Ferdinand then called attention to the
fact that his American colonies had been
rebelllng. and called upon the alliance
to put them down. At this point Eng
land baked and Monroe delivered his
message warning Europe against inter-
fering in this hemisphere.
Risings of the people in Italy against
despotic rule were also put down by
the alliance. But it did no good. Be-
fore 1880, when the French overturned
the monarchy and Belgium set UP for
herself, the whole thing had gone by
the board. And so we pass on into the
century-oii weller OF European SQUAD
bles and wars-war in Piedmont, war In
the Crimea, war between Turkey and
Russia, war between Prussia and Aus
tria, war between France and Prussia,
and so on and so on.
Naturally now, at the close OF the
great war. everybody IL tired of war,
and we in this country are sick Of even
hearing OF European wars. The impress
sion prevalent in this country is that
war is a national industry of Europe.
and that Il is time to put an end to
these everlasting squabbes. The Curl
GUS delus,pn prevails among many peo-
pie that Mr.. Wilson has at last found
n panacea. The idea that this Is the
same old scheme that was put into ef-
feet hundred years ago without result
seems TO be utterly unknown, at least
among the great mass of the people.
Mr.. Wilson to-day occupies the posi-
ton OF Gear Alexander. Like the Gear.
he is a dreamer and visionary. He went
in person to Paris as the Car went
to Vienna. and Gentz's description of
the Gear at Vienna answers very well
for a description of Mr.. Wilson at Paris
The league formed at Vienna was
league OF force. and the only thing II
ever did was TO put down risings of the
people in different parts of Europe who
were seeking to establish constitutional
government II was ordered out Of this
hemisphere in 1923 by Monroe. So far as
It was anything at all, II was simply
an instrument of despotism and oppres-
sion. c. C. HoRNER.
GUTHRIE, Okla. October "a.
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