OCR Text |
Show I THAT TRIP ABROAD President Wilson Is naturally being criticised a good deal for his dlclslon to go abroad, and sbmo of theso crltlclms conic from his f ricndB. Wo wonder If the people who make the crltlclms have any realization of the most Important reason of the trip. For a long time the President has believed, as the Prime Minister of England also believes, that the only salvation for tho world lies In the successful launching of tho League of Nations. We may have this idea, or that, or tho other about Poland, or Jugo Slavia or the boundary between Franco and Germany, but whilo these detailed questions are Interesting, any ono of them Is capable of doing either good or harm. What will really decide whether tho future Is to be full of hostility and danger, or full of confidence and prosperity, pros-perity, has comparatively little to do with boundaries, In spite of tho fact that we have been talking ourselves nearly to death about nationalities. Thero aro two foundations on which can bo built a future that Is safer and more profitable than tho past Ono of these Is tho avoidance of Jill possible grievances, and that Is merely a preliminary necessary to tho success of tho second, which is a worklng-agalnst ono another. Tho President haB tho kind of a mind which docs not do its boot thinking in deciding on small points. What gives his mind Its valuo Is tho ability to look ahead to bclcct f undlmcntal truths rind to follow them through. Now by going abroad, the President Increases tho probaGlllty that tho Leaguo of Nations will bo born as a strong being, with a good chance for life. This great consideration outweighs anything that may bo alleged about tho undeslrablo effect of his absence on domestic detail. Wo must take the larger view. This is no tlino in tho world's history for us to bo parochial. When we went Into this war, wo wont In to take our sharo of tho world's responsibilities, responsibili-ties, and It Is a poor figure wo shall cut If we become frightened and run rapidly away from doing our big part In building and supporting sup-porting tho kind of a world we have been supposed to be fighting for. Leslie's Weekly. |