Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6th, 1920. AMERICA’S ATTITUDE.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 February 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6th, 1920. AMERICA’S ATTITUDE.

The United States is coming into much ill-repute for . its attitude of the settlcmjent of the peace trebty and • the aftermath of the war. The procrastination on the part of America over its entry into the war is a subject which is much avoided by a large body of public opinion in the United States. Equally so is there a feeling of unquietude regarding the haggling over the peace terms. It is said that could public opinion have expressed itself about America’s entry into the war there would have been an overwhelming majority in favor of direct action in preference to the President’s notes. Equally so, regarding the acceptance of the peace treaty, it. is asserted by public men that two-thirds of the people of the United States would accept the treaty conditions without, a single reservation. The political machine works very peculiarly in the United States, and without magnetic leadership there is not much hope of effecting definite results. America is without a Helmsman at the present time. Ex-President Roosevelt, who wielded a wonderful power in the States, though not in office, has passed away. He it was who was the power behind the scenes which focussed American action into entering the war. Mr Wilson for personal reasons affected by- the presidential election; held his hand as long as he could, and mov. cd only with the pressure of the Roose-velt-shaped opinion behind him. At the end of the war Mr Wilson’s serious ilness places him hors de combat, and there was none of his party ready to carry on successfully in the States, his advocacy of the peace treaty, which was framed in the main along lines formulated by Mr Wilson himself. Now we are at the third phase, the reconstruction of Europe, and America is holding aloof from her obvious part in the matter. A® the richest of the Entente associated countries against the late enemy, America might ha ve been expected to play a noble part. The -United States boasts of her democratic constitution, and her great axiom of ' Government is the greatest gooa for the greatest number. Internationally however, America, seems to be following a line of policy to be the greatest good, for lior.self. '' Apparently the United States is aiming to capture world supremacy, and! she is prepared to climb to that dizzy height unmindful of the fate of those on whom she passes over to gain vast commercial wealth. The fate of lier late Allies in the world war are as little to her as the fate of the world’s enemies she helped to defeat. An exchange says if it is true that America is deserting her Allies in the hour of trial, then the United States iis assuming the role of “ the hypocrite and the quitter.” This is very strong language, but it sums up the position as it strikes the average reader who draws his knowledge of public events from the daily news. We know that during the early period of the war the Allies fighting together did not spare, themselves in the task of fighting to make the world safe for democracy. America came into the fray when it suited her, after leaning unduly on the sacrifice of tlmse who fought unselfishly the world’s battle. ; The American attitude of Jate appears to be markedly anti-British. The loss of a pro-Britisher such as Theodore Roosevelt is felt at this period very severely, and among all the army of statesmen in America, there does not appear to be anyone with his warm breadth of thought and vision to take his place. Perhaps as the hour is arriving the man may appear, and the United States may yet adopt an attitude more in keeping with her democratic and national traditions.