Life — February 20, 1919 — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

FEBRUARY 20 1919 “While there ts Life there's Hope" Published by LIFE Anorew Mittex, President and Treasurer PUBLI ING COMPANY James S. Mercatre. Secretary t7 West Thirty-first Street, New York English Offices. HEN Mr. Wilson's in- tention of go- ing abroad was first some persons who were enthusiastic about his going, found com- fort in the thought that when he got to Europe he would come up at last disclosed, ot otherwise against men of considerable dimensions. who would teach him something. They felt that at home he had sedulously surrounded himself from the start with pigmies who seldom disturbed him with ideas or suggestions, except such as were reflections of his own mind. But in Europe he would not be able to choose his company. He would get up against the real thing in human beings, and we would see what would happen. It has happened as these wise breth- ten foresaw. Mr. Wilson has met real people in so far as it was possible for Europe to produce them. He has not picked his crowd, has not limited himself. to the company of little mites of men like House, McAdoo, Houston, Lane, Daniels, Brandeis and Baker, but has met all comers, and in the Peace Council itself has sat and discussed with persons who would be rated by almost any judge as the peers in ability of even the Republican lead- ers and spokesmen in the United States Senate. And ne has learned from them undoubtedly, and he has yielded to them undoubtedly, temper- ing, in many cases, the plans that were taking form in His mind to accommo- date them to conflicting details in the plans that were forming in the minds about him. It has happened as the wise brethren foresaw, and now he is com- ing home, and one wonders if they are satisfied Rolls House, Bi reams Bldgs., London, c In so far as they wanted him to in- crease in wisdom, they should be sat- isfied, for undoubtedly he has iea much and is a wiser man than he was When knowledge comes his way he usually acquires some But if they hoped he would find and that it would be enough to increase his modesty and de- press his own view of his importance on this earth, it is possible that the re- sult is disappointing. ned two months ago. of it his level low OR the truth is that hard-headed Americans, men of excellent stand- ing not among the Children of Light, among the Children of This World, have been trickling home, and mecting people on the street, and summing up to them without enthusiasm and sol- emnly, the result of their impressions in the words: “There is but one man in Europe.” OF course, that is a glittering gen- erality, and exaggerates a_ situation There are many men in Europe and a good many fairly top-hole states- men, and they are all busy, and most of them are trying to do good. But the situation that the generality pictured does scem to exist. For one reason or another Mr. Wilson has loomed up far and away the he man in Europe. Correspondents of every American that has correspondents in France, tell the same story, that the masses of Europe have turned to our President for leadership and succor, and that the governments of Europe look perforce in the direc- persisted a newspaper tion in which their people’s eyes are turned. The survivors of the war, im- poverished, bereaved, and many of them famished, want a new deal, and and no more govern- no more war: ment of the sort that wars grew out of, and jobs and higher wages. They arc dead tired, desperately and mutinously tired, of the old games, and they sce in Mr. Wilson a mind and a leadershiy that has captured their ima They think he can help them. think he knows how, and the will nation The nd has the heart and the brains and t) power to do it. If they are to go on with life, they want it to be a bette life than they have ever known, and fer, All Europe is distressed a nec It needs money material and help of every sort. Mr. Wilso: represents the richest country int! world, the only one that can help I rope on anything like the scale tha the European situation demands, and the one most disposed by ties of bloc and affection, and even by self-interes to do it. Of course, that helps enor mously to give him the place he has taken, but it only brings tools to hi hands, His power to use them is the main thing still. Unless his mind, his character, his spiritual leading, is equal to the task that Europe has set him, his wonderful opportunity will end in tragedy like Kerensky’s chance in Russia, NE has to go by faith in estimat- ing where Mr. Wilson will come out. For our part we believe he wi pull off the job. His performance in Europe so far has been extraordinary Wherever he has gone he has seemed to carry hope and good temper. He has spoken from the heart and got responses from the hearts of those who have heard him or read his speeches. He is in Europe just what he has al- ways been at home, a democrat, an enemy of established privilege, a poli- tician with spiritual aspirations and consequently the feared and hated an- tagonist of politicians whose aspirations are material, and who can understand no other sort. He is still the leader of the Celestial party, which now has crossed the seas and has more members Comicbooks.com