New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-03-28
One Of the Courses Open to
America Is a Return to the Pol
icy of S'Splendid Isolation"
By Frank Fl. Sirnonds

By Frank Fl. Sirnonds
"NHE failure Of the Treaty Of
Versailles on It's second ap-
pearance before the Senate
Enthusiastically closes, for q
time at least, the official phase Of
the debate upon the decisions Of
the Conference Of Paris. By con-
trast. as the question, temporarily
at all events, ceases to be matter Of
political controversy it becomes
possible to review In certain as
poets the problems raised by 1t.
And at the outset it remains
clear that now, as at all times. the
paramount question for the mass
of American people Is: What is
our duty, what ought the United
States to do at this world crisis,
on the one hand as a nation having
manifest obligations to its own
people and on the other as a civil
lized country undeniably conscious
of It's responsibilities to world In
a state Of chaos and misery7
A Solemn Referendum
Now, during all the course Of the
debate in the Senate It Is manifest
that far more important debate
has been going on among the
American people. II political con-
siderations played some part In the
debate In the Senate the real ex-
PLANTATION Of the result there must
be found in tho fact that among
the masses Of the people, with whom
political considerations were of far
less consequence, no real decision
was reached; the people could not
make up their minds, on the evidence
submitted to them, In what direction
duty led. In reality, Solemn
referendum" was had on the treaty
between the time Of its arrival In
the United States and the recent
vote in the Senate.
Now that the struggle is over, or
at least postponed to another day,
there are certain aspects of the
question which I should like to pre-
sent to my readers as representing
conclusions arrived at both as a re-
suit of my presence in Paris during
the peace conference and my con-
tinued residence in the United States
since the time when the Treaty Of
Versailles was drafted in the French
capital.
Like every other American, have
been wrestling with the problem Of
American duty. Many Of my read
ers will recall that in the period
when the United States was still
neutral in the World War I wrote
and argued in favor Of American
participation as q manifest duty.
Personal visits to the regions smit-
ten by German devastations, various
visits to Europe In war and in the
CHASTITY mockery Of peace which now
prevails have impressed upon me
the greatness Of the agony which
still persists in Europe and the COM
pelling need for American assist
ance.
Partisanship Disappears
Nor can any political or partisan
consideration really influence the
Judgment of those who have touched
personally the European situation
as it EXISTS in the present hour.
Faith in or distrust Of President
Wilson may determine the opinions
Of Americans for whom necessarily
the facts Of the situation on the
other side Of the Atlantic must be
derived at second hand, but in the
actual presence Of these European
conditions all personal az well a:
partisan sentiments must disappear
The suffering is too great, thu
misery too real, to permit any othe,
circumstances to count than duty.
In studying tho European situa
ton and American duty, therefore
l have set at one side the argu
ments Of selfish or even legitimat.
national interest. That it would b,
safer or more profitable for tn,
United States to stand aside from
Hll European conflicts-granted tina
this were true, it does not seem {,
me sufficient warrant for adoptin.
such policy. It Is not q questio,
Of what Is more profitable, com
Portable, satisfying for Americans
but simply n question Of wha'
America can do.
Tho Real Issue
The fears that American sover
eighty will ba invaded, America.
liberties threatened. American Doll
cies and interests compromised, seen
to me unfounded. When one has