Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-04-17
STILL A SINGLE TRACK MIND

~ President Wilson shows that he has not changed since he said
he had a single track mind. He knows what he wants and why,
and nothing can change him. He will not even listen to compro-
mise. He wants his whole program or nothing. He vii. stand or
fall with what he believes to be the right. He is not given to hedg-
ing or ducking. The world knows where he stands, and there he
stands even if he has to stand alone In this respect the former
President shows the difference between a statesman and a poll
] tician.
The United States would be a member of the League of Ma
1 tons today had it not been for this singletrack stubbornness of
Mr.. Wilson. He placed the Versailles treaty before the senate and
! practically told the senators to take it in its entirety or leave it.
The senate agreed to ratfy the treaty, including the League of Ma
- As clause, with certain reservations. Had the President accept,
these reservations the United States would be a member of the
ague. He refused and the treaty was rejected.
So, today, we find the former President sticking tenaciously
/ to. his original idea. When President Harding proposes that the
United States join the International Court of Justice which has
been set up by the League of Nations, Mr.. Wilson says no, the
whole league or nothing. His letter to Congressman Rouse is a.
straightforward statement of his position. He still has a single
track mind.
But while one may admire a man for his fixity of purpose and
his willingness to stand or fall for a principle, one realizes that
there are times and conditions when a half a loaf is better than
none at all, and that f it is impossible to get everything one wants,
it is best to take what one can get with the idea of using such sue
cess as is attained to press on toward something bigger and better.
gea Just as we believed it would have been better for the United
states to have gone into the League of Nations with certain reser-
vations rather than to have stayed out altogether, so we believe
hat it is a decided gain in our International relations for the nation
to adopt the Harding plan of joining the international Court of
Justice, even under conditions. On all great issues of this kind
where there is SO much opposition progress is made only through
compromise. Former President Wilson may have the right idea,
bat President Harding is more practical in his methods for achieve
ihgaresults.
president Harding has offered an excellent compromise and he
hhgs staked his whole administration on the success or failure of his
alan. He would have the United States fulfill its mission in fur
thering the cause of peace throughout the world. An International
court to settle disputes between nations has been advocated by this
country for years. At the first, and again at the second Hague
conference the American delegates were instructed to work for the
establishing of an international court. The efforts failed, but the
dea remained a fixed principle with the United States. Now, how
ever, as Herbert Hoover said in his recent speech at Des Moines.
the court is already in existence. 1t is largely the ~handiwork of
American thought and American hands. For us to insist upon its
being torn down and regretted just because it was created by a
conference called by the league lin which Americans took part is
enc of the most unseemly suggestions of national ~selfshness that
can be conceived" |
Mr.. Wilson, with single track mind, may stick to the whole
league or nothing policy, but President Hardng's idea of taking
what he believes he can get as long as it is a step in the right
direction, stands a better chance Of being put across.