Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1920-10-19

the American people, President Wilson
gave in the dark secrecy of Versailles
When President Wilson went to
Europe, the prestige of the United
States, its achievements in arms. its
principles. and its wealth made it the
greatest power at Versailles. Had il
oeen represented at the conference by
a statesman ambitious for his country
rather than for himself, it would have
played there part such as it played
IN the war-to save the world from
darkness and from ruin.
For to Europe, the United States
stood as the one nation unembittered
by hatred, unmoved by lust of con-
quest, unswayed by dreams of empire
From the conflicting ambitions and
clashing aims that had involved
Europe in the meshes of war, the
United States alone was aloof
Yet Mr.. Wilson threw all advan-
tage away the moment he got within
the doors of the peace conference. He
bartered away American prestige and
American position for the promotion
of his own vague and shapeless ideals
Every element of international
strength and influence which the Unit
ed States had developed during the
war, every new acquisition that might
be used for the greater welfare and
glory of the United States was sacri-
feed by him behind those closed
doors; and that is not all nor the
worst. With them went this country's
heritage of diplomatic triumphs of the
past, the whole structure of Americas
foreign relations and diplomacy. Not
only did he repudiate the policy set
forth in Washington's warning against
entangling alliances, but he allowed
the Monroe Doctrine to be classified
as mere regional understanding" to
be interpreted by foreign powers in
the league of nations.
From the early days of the republic
it had been a fixed American policy
to make the United States the first
power on the Pacific. 1t was a policy,
which was forecast by the Louisiana
annexation under jefferson. was re-
vealLd with the acquisition of the Ore
gon and California territories under
Polk. was declared by Seward in the
purchase of Alaska, was carried for
ward to cover Hawaii, Guam, Samoa
and the Philippines under Mckinley
and was affirmed anew by Hay in the
open Door in China" Woodrow Will
son acting in his own name and by
his own proper authority" at Versailles
closed that door. sacrificed China to
the Japanese and, without securing in
return even a respite from her de-
mands upon us, allowed Japan to take
the Ladrones, the Marianas and the
Carolines, the island outposts of the
@F 1t.
sterile and shallow craftsmanship he
gave away this country's Pacific
policy
In American history, there has been
no prouder boast, than that the United
States was the friend of the oppressed
in every continent. Mr.. Wilson has
ended all that.
Turn back the hands of the clock of
time to that day in April, % years
ago, when the United States hardened
to the cry from Cuba. Had Mr.. Wilson
and the league been in operation at
that time, Weyler could have worked
out to the bitter end the bloody plan
of Spain. And if perhaps, Brazil or
the Argentine or some other American
republic had answered the despairing
call of the Cuban people, American
soldiers would have been pledged to
answer the summons-not of Garcia
and of Gomez, but of Weyler and the
Spanish monarch
Under the league, this land of ours
would no longer be the light-bearer
and hope of the world. Across the
seas would come in vain the cry of
the despairing. Pledged to persecute
the nations as they are, enlisted for
ever in the cause of the strong, we
should be bound to turn deaf ear to
the call of the weak. Instead of lift
ing mankind to a higher level we
should merely sink with it in its
chains 1t is no vision" it is a night
mare that now confronts us as the act
uality of Mr.. Wilson's dream.
ITO be continued