The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-21
His Sensation. and Experi-
ences as Chief Executive Of
Nation and Methods Of Re-
laxing Are Told
Cannot, at Iirnss,
Recognize Self
No Direct Reference to Prob
lens Facing Administration
In His Speech at Press Club
Housewarm ings-Some-
times Bothered With Atten-
tons

WASHINGTON, March 2n.-Presldent
Wilson delivered remarkable speech
this afternoon at the ouae-warming
OF the National Press CLUBS new quar-
ters. In 1t the president Yard aside
all formality and told the members
Of the club exactly how 1t had felt
TO be president. recounting his sensa-
tons, his experiences. and his methods
of forgetting the heavy responsibi1i-
ties of his office.
The speech showed the human side
of President Wilson better than any
thing he has said or done since he
entered the White House, and win give .
the public an entirely new insight into
his character. The president showed
plainly that he is getting a bit Inn
patient at being described as cold
austere persen, veritable thinking
machine He failed TO recognise him
self In any such description In fact
he was certain that at times he more
nearly resembled a bubbling volcano.
His speech In part was as follows:
II was just thinking OF my sense
OF confusion of identity, sometimes.
when l read articles about myself
have never read article about my
self In which j recognized myself, and
L
that / must be some kind of a fraud,
because / think great many Of these
articles are written IN absolute good
faith. / tremble to think Of the variety
and falseness In the impressions make
and 1t IL being borne In on me %
that 1t may change my very disposi-
tion-that I am a cold and removed
person, who has a thinking machine In
side which he adjusts to the circum-
stances which he does not allow to
be moved by any winds of affection
or emotion of any kind. but turna
like cold searchlight on anything
that is presented to his attention. and
makes 1t work. ! am not aware OF
having any detachable apparatus in-
side me. On the contrary, II / were 10
interpret myself would say that my
constant embarrassment Is to restrain
the emotions that are inside OF me.
Somestimes Like Volcano.
You may not believe 1t. but / some
times feel like fire from afar from
an extinct volcano, and II the lava
does not seem to spill over 1t Ii be-
cause you are not high enough to see
into the basin. and see the caldron
boil. Because, truly. gentlemen. In the
position which | now occupy there IL
a sort of, | do not know how else 10
express 1t. than to say-passionAtO
sense of being connected with nay fell
lowmen i'll a peculiar relationship of
responsibility. Not merely the respOn-
sibilty of office. but God knows there
are enough things in this world that
need to be corrected.
~ have mixed. first and last. with all
sorts and conditions of men--there are
mighty few kinds of men that have
to be described to me. and fhere ara
mighty few kinds of experiences that
have to be described to me-and when
think OF the number OF men who
are looking to me as the represent
tative of party of hope. with the
hope of all varieties OF salvation from
the things they are struggling in the
midst of ii makes me tremble. 1t
makes me tremble not only with a
sense OF my own inadequacy and
weakness. but as IL I were shaken by
the very things that ara shaking them,
and il l seem circumspect, 1t is be-
cause I am so diligently trying not
to make any colossal blunders. X YOU
Just calculated the number OF blum
ders a fellow can make In twenty four
hours II he is not careful and II he
does not listen more than he talks.
you would see something OF the feeling 3
that / have.
Would Avoid BIunders.
II am listening, / am diligently try
ing to collect all the brains that are
borrowable, in order that l may not
make more plumbers than 1t IL inevi-
table that man should make who
has great limitations of knowledge and
capacity. And the emotion of the thing
is so great that l suppose / must be q
some kind of mask to conceal IL.
II really feel sometimes as II were
masquerading when / catch a picture
OF myself in some printed descriptions.
When you fellows stand around me on Z
Monday mornings and Thursday aftcr~4
moons and ask me questions, know
what Is in the back Of your heads
and I could tell you sometimes more
than do tell you. but do not tell
you any more than ! am sure Of
try to keep a grip on myself
THE other day. the last time ~
were together. the natural man got ~
the front OF the stage. and had - !
talk to you as an individual, and not
as the president of the United States R
wish there were more 0ccast0nA 4
when could do that. because h&xA Z
this feeling. gentlemen: In between
things that have to do a. pabit1 4
officer, never think OF myself ~ the
president Of the United States. becans4
never have had any sense Of being Il
identified with that office. feel ltkA$
a person appointed for q certain Length
Of time to administer that o6ice. Ar4Si
I feel just as much outside Of IN M
this moment as 7 did bAkore1 Naa
elected to 1t. feel Just ~ mneh Qza
side Of 1t as still feel 0uteidA ~ f1@M
government Of the United 6t9teas "a I'M
"No man could imagine htmse1s
government OF the United States u
ne could understand that SOME nne II ny
his fellow citisans had tol4 NJ M m
and run certain part of Is ~ II
~ knew haw. That would MN1 A
him he RoxsE ensMt Tx "a
I'D u aass sss n Il