The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1921-03-28
Former Secretary
of State Describes
Peace Conference

The inside story of the peace con-
ference and Of the events which led
up to form President Wilson's de-
mand for his resignation as secretary
of state Is contained in Robert Lans-
ings book, 1.-THE Peace Negotiations
"A Personal Narrative" just pub
lished.
Former Secretary Lansing's nara
tive discloses that the ostensible rea-
son for his dismissal from the cab
inet-the fact that he called the cab
met into session several times while
the president was ill-was not the
real reason-that the rift between
the executive and his premier began
during the negotiations at Paris or
before.
Mr.. Lansing attempted to dissuade
the president from going to Paris in
person, but Mr.. Wilson rejected his
advice on this point and showed
that time. He ignored all attempts
of the secretary to advise him dur
ing the negotiations, Mr.. Lansing
states, and further indicated that he
did not care for any suggestions from
Mr.. Lansing.
Failure Summarized
Mr.. Lansing's revelations of the
underlying cause of the Wilson fail
ure at the peace conference might
be summarized in fourteen points
as follows:
/. The president blundered in go
ing to the peace conference, and par
ticularly by going as a delegate. By
going to Paris, President Wilson put
himself in the power of the unscrup-
ulous International politicians who
controlled the conference.
2. The president was so obscessed
by his scheme for league of nations
that he delayed the peace while the
whole world was ,disintegrating for
want of an early settlement; he
traded some of Americas greatest
principles for votes for the league of
nations, and in effect he permitted a
ruinous and unjust peace by his COM
promises. Then he attempted to de-
ceive the world by denying that the
league negotiations delayed peace.
Program Lacking
8. The president had no program
when he went to Paris and no plan
of work after he arrived there-only
group of more or less vague ideas
thus putting the American delega-
ton at disadvantage and handicap
ping it in favor of the great powers
of Europe. ..
4. The president domineered and
ignored his own delegation. He re-
fused their advice and kept them in
the dark as to the negotiations, ex-
cept occasionally Colonel House. He
openly Inundated Secretary Lansing,
who says: "Mr. Wilson clearly in
Dictated that the was not disposed to
receive any criticisms COT the league)
in good part. He said with great
candor and emphasis that he did not
intend to have lawyers drafting the
treaty of peace" The American
delegates had to get their Informal
tion from foreign delegates and from
the clerks of Colonel Houses staff.
S. The president attempted to
ignore the constitution and senate
altogether and put the senate in a
hole by trying to arrange a prelim-
mary peace and league Of nations
without submitting it to the senate at
all as required by the constitution.
Sacrifice Made
6. The president sacrificed his own
principles of the equal rights of ma
tions to Clemenceau's policy of "the
balance of power" thus setting up
an aligarchy of the five great powers
to dominate the world.
7. The president "steam-r ollered"
his own delegations into accepting
his league of nations plan notwith-
standing they knew nothing of the
details until few hours before it's
adonticn.
8. The president alone was re-
sponsible for forcing article 10 into
the league covenant; and he at
tempted to omit altogether judicial
arbitration scheme
8. The president, after arousing
IAO uOpoo VI ouldll, OppTtSSou peoples |
by what Secretary Lansing calls his !
"impracticable" promise of self de-
termination" sacrificed the principle
under British influence.
10. The presidents time and in
terest were at first so taken up with |
triphal visits and by royalty that he
had none to devote to his
own delegates advice concerning the !
league.
Swept Off Feet
II. The president was carried off |
his feet by a praise of General Shuts
into accepting the system of manda-
tories, which the allies used to try to 7
extort additional indemnity from
Germany and to gain control of pro-
fitable territory, foisting on the presi-
dent proposed mandates for unpro-
fltable and troublesome territory.
IL. The president abandoned his
own principle of open covenants
openly arrived at" in favor of secret
He conducted the most
important negotiations in secret with
a few international politicians. This