Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-01-21
PRESIDENT STANDS
ALONE ON LEAGUE,
=: SAYS MR.. S|M0NDS
Describes Situation in Wash
ington, Where Foreign Pol
=. icy Is Being Forged.
BY FRANK II. sIMONDs.

By FRANK H. SIMONDS.
To any one who saw the treaty or
Versailles in the making and recalls
the role played by the President of the
United States in the deliberations at
Paris, nothing can be more striking
putting of the peace in operation
without american participation has
affected the National Capital.
The longer one stays here in Wash
ington the clearer becomes the fact
that practically nothing of the mood
and temper of the President and his
associates at Paris has been brought
back to America. Mr.. Wilson spoke
and his associates echoed words ana
employed tones suggesting that new
crusade was being preached. In Parls
criticism of the league of nations and
analytical discussions of the covenant
were treated as little short of heresy,
as approXimating genuine impietE
Now in the past few weeks repuD-
lican and democratic national COM
mittee have come to Washington. ana
about these two bodies have revolved
the whole political planetary system
of the country, and it has been pos
sible accordingly to gather some no
ton of the view of the politicians as
to the treaty and the covenant of the
league of nations.
Difference of Opinion Slight.
Strangely enough. there has been lit
tie difference in the actual opinion,
despite the very striking Emergencies
in the views publicly put forth by the
members of the two camps. Take the
simple question of the reservations.
In talking with dozens of democrats L
have not CHANGED to find a single one
who championed the notifications of
the treaty without reservations. Nor
have I found one republican or demo-
crat who was not very clear in his
own mind that his constituency. the
10 roll +
ment or prescribed participation in
European affairs.
A treaty almost every one wants But
when one talks with politicians it is at
least a fair inference that the chief
reasons why a treaty is desired are
found in simple and practical consider
atoms and not in any platform to make
the world safe for democracy, render
future wars impossible, achieve a fed
GRAFTON of mankind or a hopeful begin
ming of international cooperation.
No, the controlling reason for desiring
treaty of peace is belief that the
ordinary business, of life, the rate of
exchange, the restoration of economic
activity, the routine transaction of
everyday affairs. requires a parchment
liquidation of the war. The suggestion of
Senator Lodge. the proposal of Presi-
dent Wilson, that there be "a solemn
referendum next fall at the presiden-
tial election awakens general protests.
OHiO Srcdtc new
In Paris, year ago. the treaty of
peace was discussed as something that
was to usher in a new era This was
the American contention: this was
President Wilson's platform. But, in
Washington now, there is not even Il
whisper of this possibility. The whole
probe I'M in being transferred from Eu-
rope to America. from the banks of the
Seine to those of the Potomac. has suf-
1ered sea change. If one accepts the
Presidents Paris attitude one can say
the, thing has been despiritualzed If
one takes the opposite view ne may say
1t has been debated. Either character
1zatIon serves the main purpose of de-
inning the magnitude of the transfer
nation.
More than all else one feels that
the President failed almost as signally
in converting his fellow democrats as
IN convincing his republican oppo-
nents of the soundness of his views as
10 the league of nations-as to the
American duty in newly ordered
universe In Paris he had with GER
tain notable exceptions, a loyal group
or personal followers and admirers,
who played little part in the nego-
uatlons. but who were invaluable in
giving the necessary atmosphere to
provide the Impression that most
americans. all of the best citizens of
the United States. stood with Presi-
dent Wilson. Associated with this
group were the most conspicuous
American journalists, who Thought il
TO De a patriotic duty to support an
american President in Europe and to
serve his cause al home by presenting
ms program sympathetically.
Thought President Spoke L. $, View.
The result of this combination of
circumstances was the ultimate per-
suaolns of Europe. Even CIemen-
ceau, who had doubts at the begin
ming. was brought round to the con-
Vlction that all of the United States
save rev senators, negligible when
popular sentiment was reused as II
would De-was sympathetically lis
eeHnis 10 the Presidents European
pronouncements Europe believed
that the United States spoke without
reservations through the President.
ana IL believed this because the Paris
<aerlcdh pubic = the pilgrims who
came on or with the George Washinp
ton-asserted and proclaimed this al
legged fact g
VOW the contrast in Washington to-
udy' when the treaty goes into effect
ana the United States rtays outside lie
almost startling. It is startIing frst 90
because, with the President neces-
sarily silent. there is hot a single clear
cut voice defending his principles
championing his views on ona Gill
mere is the assertion, democratic
quite as much as republican. that
theTe must be reservations that the
sentiment of the country has CRYSTAL
Hzed against unlimited American I'D
venture in Europe, against interna.
t1onal ldealism without internationaI
limitation. And on the other side
there is just silence
In the middle ground there are a
sooo many urging compromise res
erVations. with the frank recoenition
that actually the element of com
promise is imaginary. since any reser-
Vaion which has the smallest chance
OF ADOPTION does absolute violence to
the Presldents fundamental concen-
tion. ANY one who was in Paris knows
now lnexact it is to argue that only
slight shade of meaning seDarates
tne Two opposing forces AS between
the democrats and republicans in and
OUT OF the Senate this is true. AS he
tween the President and both il il
untrue. -
Tod of Americas Demands
The fact is that the President told
Europe that America demanded Ger
Tam tniiiss; demanded that there he
settlement of a certain sort. that
is. demanding this, America was mr.
pared to spend herself without umit
ana 10 put her engagement into
Htpecihc terms. Force was TO be the
ultimate guarantee of the treaty No
SAID this many times. And we Amer
IcaEs were to contribute our share
TO become a "a ptoa