Albuquerque morning journal., 1921-03-21
LANSING BREAKS HIS SILENCE.

DispassOnate analysis of the causes for President
Wilson'S failure to accomplish his high mission at the
peace conference, is made by Robert Lansing, for
merly secretary of state, in the current issue of The
Saturday Evening Post,
We recommend this article to our readers as a
valuable contribution to the history of the Versailles
gathering, written by the who is best able to
give the views of Wilson's fellow commissioners
those representing the United States.
Among the several causes given by Mr.. Lansing
for the Wilsonian fiasco at Paris--a fiasco which
has resulted in still being technically in a state
of with Germany with all the industrial and
economic uncertainty that such state entails-two
emphasized by the writer:
First: President Wilson's insstence that the cove
nant of the league of nations should be made part
and parcel of the pact of Versailles; and
Second His disnclinaton to consult his Ameri-
confreres, least to acquant them with what
was being done by the Council of Four, in its secret
sessions the presidents residence in the Place des
Etats-Uns.
OF the first blunder committed by the president
Mr. Lansing says:
His insistence upon the incorporation of the
covenant in the treaty lost him the world leadership
which in his grasp
OF the second the former secretary observes:
THE fact is that the American commissioners
gained practically all their knowledge of the prog
ress of the work of the council FROM THE Cos
SIP OF THE STAFF OF OTHER DELEGATIONS
CLINED TO LET SIR MAURICE HANKEY FUR
NISH ANY OF THE AMERICAN COMMISSION
WITH A COPY OF HIS MINUTES"
Concerning this latter attitude of the presidents,
some rumors leaked out even during the peace con-
ference; but up to the present time, authoritative
confirmation has been lacking. for the men that
best knew the circumstances have felt that their lips
were sealed at least until the Wilson ADMINISTRATION
passed into history.
Any who reads Mr.. Lansings article will be-
convinced that this self-sufficency, this aver
sion for taking his associates into his confidence,
the cardinal weakness of our high commissioner
"a weakness from which all his other blunders
grew
Mr. Wilson, then played a lone hand-played
it against of the most astute statemen that
modern Europe has produced, Had he adhered to his
high political concepts, instead of bartering them
away in order to secure the incorporation of the
league covenant into the peace treaty Americas for
eign relations would have been considerably clarified
and his position in history would have been ma
teriay enhanced.
Nowhere IN Mr.. Lansings article is there any
trace of personal animus against the who so
coId-bloodedly cashiered him for failing to be a
servile echo The former secretary of state dwells
upon the presidents intellect, his powers as a public
speaker his high motives and his unfailing courtesy
toward the other statesmen gathered around the
peace table
All these qualities are admitted. 1t is the poor use
to which they were put that Mr.. Lansing, in com
mon with the majority of the American people, de-
plores
What is the value of Mr.. Lansings article? 1t is
simply needless rakng- over of ancient history?
If it were merely this. The Journal would not
recommend the article to its readers.
It's greatest value-as is the case with every true
contribution to history-ies in the lesson it teaches
for the future.
The lesson?
1t is this Americas prosperity depends on the
correlation of the best thoughts of her best minds
No man, matter how great he may be- ca
shape her desnies unaided.
If this lesson is clearly remembered by people
and by statesmen President Wilson will not have
erred in vain.