El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-10-25
League OF Nations
And Foreign Policy
LEAVES FROM AN
OVERSEAS NOTEBOOK
BY II. d. SLATER.

IL BY II. d. SLATER.
=rulliHi Ilirrs5
INURING the period covered by the
notes here 10 be reprinted I was
In Germany with the Amerf-
! can Army OF Occupation. Sources
OF information Of the outside world
I were necessarily meager. We re-
! ceived occasional letters from home.
: sometimes enclosing clippings. We
I received a Few German papers. and
] occasionally the French and English
U papers from Paris, which. OF co7Irse
I tained much less news Of the peace
I conference than the papers IN the
I United states carried. which was little
{ enough Perhaps the most illuminate
! ing source Of information so far as
I the state OF opinion in the United
states was concerned. was the Daily
corps Radio" confidential bulletin
sheet made up Of radio dispatches
ton near Washington. D. c.. directly
70 Lyon, France, the great trans
oceanic receiving station. and from
mere transmitted by wireless TO
Mlltiicn' Rhinelandi the corps head
quarters Tor our division. The Radio
bulletin contained each night a con-
siderable number OF BRIEF editorial
expressions from papers in the United
states ana one reading these could
NOT De entirely in the dark as to the
drift Of opinion This service was not
available 10 the troons. however, until
the spring OF 1913.
Never, at any time. was I deceived
as to the fact that president Wilson
did not represent the majority Amer
lean opinion. Aside from the en-
phauc Reputation which, he had re-
ceiFed In the preceding November
election which ought 10 have put the
whole world on notice, there was a
Constant and powerful opposition TO
his European activities and his peace I
conference policy, including the league
OF nations pact, manifested in con-
Eresss especially in the senate, and in
States.
I believe the president himself and
perhaps his immediate associates in !
Farls were aware Of all this and it
may De tnat Lloyd George and the Brit
lsh government were equally well in I
formed But On view Of the fact that /
the British and American govern !
ments grnaintained a most rigorous /
censorship IN which the French gov
eminent concurred, it is probable mar
the balance OF the members Of the /
peace conference and all others IN I
Paris, with their various national in ]
terests TO look out for. never did
know the truth about president Will
son S precarlous political position until /
u was too late; and the French peo-
pc ana press were also kept in the
The manner in which all these ne
EQUATIONS were carried on. in secrecy
and ohscurity, was not only in direct !
contraFen-lon OF the presidents often
expressed principles Of open diplo-
macy, but it constituted a great d
wrong against the entire world.
During all this period I made a
practice OF setting down day by day
1rle1 comments on all sorts OF sub
lects that attracted attention The
peace negotiations OF course. were
deeply interesting, but there was lit
-le deIinite information on whlch 10
base detailed commentary The ques-
-ion Of a league Of nations was no
new thing II had been talked about
10 the United States for many years.
had read widely on the subject and
lad received all the publications Of
the various associations formed to
promote the idea. OF which there were
had carried on active pronag anda-
bales OF which had passed over my
lesS and had been read and cOnsid-
cred
I never had favored the scheme
proposed. and had from time 20 time
expressed this opposition and given
easons therefor, in The Herald and
n public remarks at various gather
ngs- At the same time my mind Wasl
ilWays open 10 conviction, and I was
aager 10 receive and read everything ,
published in favor Of the presidents
llan- The more I knew about % and
ne more 7 considered the project, the
more positive and definite my oppo-
luOu became
This is reflected in the Notes
The Notes make no preteuce at be-
ng a discussion OF The league Of ma
ions OF OF the treaty. They may
ave no value whatever but II they
10 possess any value il is per-
.aps as much by reason Of the dates
hey bear as anything else. They Z
nay have some significance as indi- Z
arlng how one mind was being made ]
70, during the progress OF the dis {
ussions and the conference, in cir
umstances free from the effects of !
artisan atmosphere in America Such ]
oncluslons as are reached are arrived ]
Z on general principles. principles Z Z
mich I uelleFe are sound and war 3
anted by the history and genius OF 81
his republic. principles inseu1rable Z
lnueq welfare and power in the <
The Notes" on the subject are z
ere TO be reprinted without change Z
? comment. the dates being given. s
ind the first reference TO The matter
ore me aTInlsltce, when ] have quoted
'lth approval premier Clemenceau's
eclaratiou in the chamber Of depu-
les- France has stood through CEN
urles for certain ideals Of political
berry that the world at last accepts.
IN 2 ni Laflarl we DO not cheat France
T what is her due One cannot serve
umanity by inJuriug France"
Quotations from the Notes viii
e given here day by day, beginning
omorroW-
s a part Of Pennsylvania. In 1908.
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