The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-12-31
: Clapper
Riohs and Wisdom
Sometimes Fsil
Wen . Wsr In 1918 Bur
Lost HE Peace In 1919
Result: Second and
Worst Word War
Same Danger Signs
Are Seen Now


NJ RAYMOND CLAPPER
WASHINGTON - One Of the
ooggiest pieces Of bunk that has
been sold 70 the American people
n that night and wisdom always
triumph. Woodrow Wilson Was
right enough. a. everybody has
been saying on the occasion Of
his anniversary this week. Yet
h failed. The present world war
= . monument TO that failure.
Why did Wilson fan. What
advice would Wilson give 70 his
eucccssor In the White House to-
dayr n u up 70 Mr.. Roosevelt
20 succeed where Wilson failed
Wilson'S failure TO pin II
Gown In simple terms to the de-
c1sive act-was his inability TO
obtain q two-thirds vote In the
senate to rafify the treaty pf
Versailles. His failure was In his
relations with congress-
Symptoms Of the same trouble
are appearing now. Last months
elections carried their plain warn
ing. Congress refused to act On
the third war powers bill. another
warning. Senate Isolafionist Re-
publicans are digging around.
They are trying to bounce the
assistant Republican leader Of
the senate, Austin Of Vermont,
because he 10 what they call an
Observation-Disclosures IL. he be-
lieves the United States must
work with other nations 10 pre-
vent . third world war. WIN the
Republicans fin their two places
"a the senate foreign relations
COMMITTEES with Isolationists or
with men Of broader outlook like
Senator Austin or Senator BAH
a Ninnesotaf Are the Republic
cans getting ready to sabotage
the peace a. they did the last
time,
Hitler can't win . military VIC
tory now. But the Axis can still
wins the peace ~ Germany won
Il the last time. The Axis can
get q chance to fight again II
the United Nalions split up. and
4 TIE United states again returns
10 ths cave. Ths best that the
Axis could hops for. IN dsfsat.
would b that the United States
would b unconcerned IN prevent
ing = buildup for another war.
You can look through old news
paper files and find that about
the time some Of our soldiers
wsre born. 10 years ago. news
dispatches reported secret re-
srming IN Germany. Nobody
cared. Ths most important thing
hat the Axis could salvage out
of defeat this time would Be
similar indifference. That h what
TIE Axis win play fora state
q world Anarchy again. II IL
can have . situation In which the
United states ID not interested,
In which England. France. Rus
MA and China founder in ex-
haustion. then they can look for
ward to building up to another
chance.
Wilson failed because at the
critical point he would not play
hall with the senate. He failed
70 take any senator's to his peace
conferences when he should have
had not only Democratic but Re-
publican senators working In col
Alteration. Wilson could have
accepted the Lodge reservations
ana saved the treaty and the
League. His relations with con-
grsns had been bad. and many
chickens came home to roost on
the Issue Of ratifying the League
Covenant
Let Mr.. Roosevelt look TO his
senate. There u work for him.
for James r. Byrncs. for every
body who has the real winning Of
IT, war at heart The reciprocal
txade oct must Be renewed 1t this
session Of congress- The lend
lsase act must Be renewed De-
feat a either Of these would Be
I shock Of the most severe kind.
Defeat Of either measure would
- considered major reputation
q the administration. both at
home and abroad. Such a reverse
would give no little comfort TO
The Axis and would throw con-
fusion into the Allied side. since
4 would raise very grave doubt
= 70 the course the United States
intended TO follow.
vice-President wallace said IN
~ Woodrow Wilson anniversary
address TIE other day that the
nations have . second chance to
erect lasting structure Of peace.
such - Woodrow Wilson sought
70 build but which crumbled away
because the world was not yet
rssdy- Wisdom didn't triumph
for Wilson II won't win this
fiuo eifher unless President
nnnssvelt dos . better JOB Of
carrying congress with him II
can't b = ons-man job A demo-
cratic victory must Be saved and
mnde to stick BY democratic se-