The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-12
G.0.P.EFFICIENCY
And WILSON SPIRIT
BLEND AT CAPITAL
Ovation for Ex-President
Notable Feature of
Armistice Day.
~ WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.

~ WILLIAM ALLEN WHITE.
This Is a Republican show. and
the grand old party is doing better
than fairly well. Everything in
this armament parley is done with
an eye to efficiency. For OF old it
has been a Republican slogan that
eniciency Is the best politics. The
Europeans who come here are i'm
pressed with the idea that simplicity
Is the American ideal The lack of
decorations, the plain oak desks
from the War Department, the grass
rugs In the rooms, the rubber run
Eers in the Railways, the hard-bot-
toned chairs in the Offices where
the diplomats are supposed to sit in
conference in the committee rooms
all contrast almost savagely with
the plush and velvet upholsterins
and tns deeply carpeted rooms
where the treaty was written in
Paris two years ago.
In the room where the public
meetsings OF the conference are held
the table, . U-shape AFFAIR, was
made specially for the occasion 1t
Ii pine and stained q dark mahog-
Rnafr about Is feet by 16 The
green baizs Is glued on Il firmly,
and when the conference closes the
table will be junked-
II Wasn't So In Paris-
In Paris the table where the con-
ference met was not so substantial
1t was nailed together, and the pine
legs OF II were painted and the
boards were In places q bit wobbly.
On II the green baize was tackled
and Tapped over the edges. But
when the conference was over the
lumber could be salvaged and the
green oaize would be of value That
epttomized the European thrift
which marked the Paris parley. The
plush and the gilt and the heavy
carpets Of Paris were left overs
from The past
Europe Is spendthrift Of her past.
America has none to spend. The
only thing we have to trade on is
our future Hence this Washington
parley IL beginning with a display
Of efficiency, quite characteristically
Republican, which impresses our
guests with its bald frugality. The
truth II that efficiency Is about all
America has for show purposes. And
IL has given the opening week Of
the conference an air Of sincerity
which clearly impresses our guests
more than any possible stucco and
plush and gold leaf would do. They
believe We are going to be most
frugal in the disposal Of our future,
because We seem so parsimonious
about our past.
ovatisn for wilson
The Republican character OF the
conference on the big show-day
yesterday received . curious check
IN the great demonstration TO
President Wilson. During the
whole line Of the parade he was
cheered with enthusiasm. OF
course Harding could not receive
any applause. because he walk ed
behind the body OF the unknown
soldier. Cheers would have been
insincers and out of place. So the
pent-up emotions of the crowd
wers vented IN the cheers for the
forner President
BR that does not explain the
great crowds that thronged all aft
ern0on about his house. II has been
q long day since Washington has
seenr such a spontaneous demon
stration. It's spontaniety cannot he
questioned. Great throngs d. not
walk miles from the center Of town
10 q mans house BY tens Of thou
sands except under the pressure Of
some deep emotion. And there can
be no doubt that in some way WILL
son is associated in the public minds
with this peace parley.
Thousands Pay TrTbute.
The visit to his house was a
tribute to the aspiring Wilson of
Paris In these days when the
mind of the world Is thinking In
terms OF peace the crowd turned to
the man who first in our history
tried 70 organize this nations Of
the world for peace. 1t was q
curious example Of popular Justice.
And coming as IL came in the midst
of . Republican show, the Wilson
demonstration was rather g,cd
thing for our European visitors
and diplomats N see. They may
know by this sign that for all our
Republican efficiency, America still
aspires with Wilson, that the vision
which he preached to Europe still
moves In the American heart de-
spite the brutality of the election
returns.
This does not mean the political
recrudescsnce Of Wilson. But Il
does mean that his soul goes
marching on" even though his po-
litical body 10 az dead and as I'M
known to practical politics as the
hero whom they laid m Arling-
ton.
Coopyasht. 1871. ~ United ssvL)