New-York tribune., 1921-03-25
Mr.. Lansing's Revelations

Mr.. Lansing's Revelations
That Mr.. Lansing in his book
would express sweeping and caustic
dissent from President Wilson's
peace policy was expected, the Bull
lit statement before the Senate For
cign Relations Committee in the fall
of 1919 having disclosed wide,
though then unacknowledged, rift
between him and his chief. The
startling thing in the present vol
ume is the complete success with
which the ex-Secretary Of State ex-
onerates himself from any intel
lectual completely with what was
done at Paris in the name of the
people of the United States.
The Secretary of State served the
President as a dutiful agent in sign
ing the Versailles treaty and in
drafting and signing the French
British-American triple alliance in
surance treaty. But he shows that
in both cases his heart and his mind
rebelled. He acted under connpul-
sion, registering moral reserva-
tion. He signed, but never yielded
his hostile private judgment.
Mr.. Wilson is once more presented
aS one of most autocratic temper and
as imposing his will absolutely on all
his close advisers. Those who were
allowed to be near him were over
awed by his prestige and fell into
the habit of accommodating their
opinions to his. But Mr.. Lansing's
revelations show that the subservi-
ence was not always willing. The
ex-Secretary not only distrusted Mr..
Wilson's ideas, but doubted his capac-
tty as peace negotiator. He even
wied in advance to dissuade the
President from going to Paris. At
Ire peace conference he made every
ndfort to prevent Mr.. Wilson from
injecting into the covenant the one
provision on which his heart was SET
The other commissioners-including
z Colonel House-were also largely
out of sympathy with the Presidents
plans and methods, and viewed his
conduct with alarm. Mr.. Wilson
was an intensely solitary figure at
Paris. He stood alone in authority
and in error. He had monop-
oily in the wrecking Of the treaty so
lar as American participation was
concerned.
Mr.. Lansing maintains that a
workable covenant, entirely accept
able to the Senate and the country.
could have been drafted if for the
Article x guaranty of territorial in
tegrity and boundaries by force had
been substituted "self-denying''
pledge on the part Of each member
Of the league not to indulge in
aggression at the expense Of any
other member. This plan would not
have been subject to constitutional
objections. The public mind was
prepared for it. But, as Mr.. Lam
sing notes, the President had an "ob-
session" on the subject of the league.
The only substantive thing he took
with him to Europe was the guar
anty Of boundaries farce. He sac
xiiiced every other consideration to a
personal vindication on this point,
He had his way with the conference.
But he failed completely to bend the
senate and the country to his will.
MT. Lansing holds that the, Presi-
dent committed colossal series Of
blunders at Paris-most Of them
arising out Of his paternity of Ar
ficle K and his mistaking it for an
essential Of the peace settlement.
Aastory will hardly dispute that
Judgment. Mr.. Lansing might have
done himself more credit if he had
resigned as peace commissioner
-: nno snus dissociated himself as pub
i'eiy as possible from the Paris rec
ord. But he has at least the salts
1sction OF being able to produce now
Written records which prove that his
nand never went. along with Mr..
wilson's, and that, judged by the
event' ne was right on most cues
tons Of policy on which his super;or
wss fatally wrong.