The Washington herald., 1922-02-12
By SIR PHILIP GIBBS.

On lecture tour am now max
ing in the United States from coast
to coast. I have an opportunity Of
studying the opinions OF ixny dif-
ferent types Of people In this coun-
try regarding world Affairs and
their own political and economic
position a. they are affected by
world conditions. II may therefore
be Of interest to my readers to know
the impressions that 1 have gained
during these recent weeks.
OF course. most Of my OBSERVE
tons are derived from Conversation
with business men. Journalistic.
manufacturers. college professors
and students, and from women
whom ! pet At my lectures and In
their clubs.
Il 10 practically impossible for me
to get hrst-hand knowiedge Of the
ideas. prejudices. and hopes Of the
great mass Of the laboring world in
the United States whose state Of
mind, and passion OF soul. cannot be
left out Of account in gauging the
possibilities Of the future In the
United States. On the other hand
the people ] meet in the smoking
cars of railroad trains. where
speech 10 frank and free, or at
luncheons and dinners In small
towns or great cities. as far apart
as Lynchburg in Virginia and Min
neapolis In Minnesota, or for q few
minutes below the platforms in lee
ture halls, do represent what I may
call the intellectual leadership Of
the average mind. They are the
cultured folk, the men who have
built up the great industries. the
women who are reading and think
ing and teaching, the young men
who form the small arena OF uni
versity and college life who will be-
come the builders of the New Order.
OriGin Of National Policy.
Their opinions are worth know
ing. for IL Is the ideals and convte-
tions OF those classes that shape
national policy and, in a large
measure decide the way of leader
ship. Well, IL seems to me after
three or four weeks OF hard travel
ing and incessant Conversation Gin
which do q lot OF listening) that
the people of the United States have
been learning q lot about the srith-
metic Of life during the past twelve
months since I had the chance OF
studying them. The hardest bus
mess men / meet, men who get
down close TO the realities Of life
and trade. are strongest in their be-
lief, as far as can test them, that
the United States cannot hold sloof
from the reconstruction OF Europe
but must take q large share IL not
the leadership in the economic set
Element Of international relations.
write this article In the Middle
West, which / am visiting for the
first time. Now / have always been
told in New York that the Middle
West stands for q policy OF isola-
ton, and that IL IL not onfy indir-
ferent to European Affairs. but ac-
tually hostile TO any cooperation
of the United States with other ma
lions for the purpose OF strsighten-
ing out world problems i am sur
prised. therefore, to find the exact
opposite OF that viewpoint among
all the people have met out here.
Dse to Market Failure.
These business men of the Middle
West are profoundly conscious that
the present depression OF trade IN
grain, in cattle, and in industry, ~
largely due to the downfa.: OF for
eign markets They are, am con-
WINGED, prepared to back a policy on
the part OF their leaders which will
make for international peace, first
OF all, and lead, IL possible, TO the
rapid recovery OF foreign markets.
I find many times an idealism be-
yond my expectations. they are
thinking naturally OF their own in
terests first, but they express hopes
higher than that, and are impatient
with the present policy of the SEN
ate and the political leaders. not
because they have gone TOO far m
handling the international situa-
tons. but because they seem to hesi-
tate In taking holder steps.
For instance, i ind a very gem
eral expression Of disappointment
because there seems no likelihood
OF the United States being repre-
scented at the Genoa conference.
Quite a number OF important men
have admitted quite frankly TO me
that they believe the Senate is lag
ging behind the general march of
public opinion and is far more re-
dictionary in refusing 10 plunge
right into the problem. Of interna-
tonal readjustments than the great
mass OF average citizens. on all
sides from many different types OF
men and women, hear the visa
that the United States will dear
boldly with the questions OF de-
mo oilization Of armies. the posi-
oility OF credit to Russia In return
Tor future trade. and the readjust-
ment OF German reparations.
n Average Man for Peace
II Is possible that only get
those opinions OF certain groups be-
longing to the most liberal thourbt
put IL seems certain to me that
there Is no majority for a noI,cy o.
stin and stark isolation. / am mt
terly convinced mat the average
American mind is set in the direc-
ton OF peace. and Is inpatient Of
France-too impatient perhaps-be-
cause Of the belief that the French
nation Is opposing that spirit.
Occasionally have doubts thrust
upon me In opposition to that
opinion. A certain general who
spoke recently In Minneapolis ad-
yocated q United States army of
nfteen million men and a state Of
Preparedness" for war. I am told
also that there is compulsory mill
tary training in many of the coli
leges and high schools and that
great numbers OF American boys,
too young TO get the experience OF
the last war. feel that they have
mlAaAd avArpfhin1 n-rana