The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-21
Unbosoms Himself to
Members Of National
Press Club.
NOW TREATED LIKE
NATIONAL EXHIBIT
Chief Executive in Happy Mood
as He Tells in Informal Way
Of Difficulties of His Posi-
ton and Longings and
Untitled Desires That
Fill His Heart.

Washington. March 2o.-woodrow
Wilson unbosomcd himself TO members
OF tho National Press Club or Washing
ton day. telling them In n frank.
conversational way how no felt as
President OF the United States. how
difficult It was for him to imagine
himself as the chief executive. with
tho formal amenities OF the position.
and how he had aimed TO be rs free
as the ordinary individual, without the
restraints Of his office. II was an in
innate picture OF Woodrow wilson, the
man. drawn by himself. OH tho occasion
OF the house warming at tic Press
Clubs new quarters. The President
did not intend TO have his remarks re-
ported. but later. ct tho request of the
club. tho unusual speech was Inade
public. 1t follows:
II was just thinning OF my sense OF
confusion or identity. sometimes. when
read articles about myself. never
have read an article about ryaclf IN
which ! recognize myself, and 1 have
come 10 have tho impression that
must be some kind OF n frauG, because
think great many OF these articles
are written in absolutely good faith
tremble to think OF the variety and
falscRess in the Impressions l make
md IL ia being borne In on mo so that
II may change my very disposition
that ] am q cold and removed person,
who has thinking machine inside
"hick he adjusts to the circumstances
which he does not allow TO be moved
by any wlnds cf affection or emotion
OF any kind. but turns like a cold
scarchlight on anything that IL pre-
sented 10 his attention. and makes II
work
IL am not aware OF having any do
tachahle apparatus inside or me On
The contrary. II were to interpret my
self. l would say that my constant en-
taTrIESnent u a Tn
that are inside OF me.
Far From Extinct volcano.
You may not believe *. but some
times feel like 4 far from cXtinc, vol
cano. and II the lava does not seem TO
spiii over, 1t Is because you are not
hiEh enough to see into the basin and
Sec tho caldron poll Because. truly
gentlemen. In the position which I now
occupy. there is a sort of do no,
Know how else TO express II than 10
say. passionate sense OF being con-
nected with my fcliowmcn In a pccu.
ilar relationship OF responsibility. Not
merely the responsibility OF ofIice but
God knows there aro enough things in
this world that need to be corrected
nave mixed, first ard last with
an sorts and conditions OF nlcn-thcre
arc mighty few kinds OF men that
nave 10 be described TO me, and there
are mighty few kinds of experiences
mat have to be described 10 me-ord
when | think OF the number OF mon
VINO are looking to mo as tho rcprc
sentative OF party. with the hope for
az varieties OF salvation from the
~ they arc struggling in the midst
o. IL makes me trcmblc. II makes inc
t'emblc. not only with n sense NJ M,
."n lnadeQuacy and weakness hut aa
IL were shaken By the very thinrs
'hat arc shaking them. and If I seem
circumspect. 1t is because nm so dilI
irving IN
plumbers. If YOU just celebrated tI,a
NUMBER or blundcrs a fellow can mako
IN twenty four hours IL he Is not care
,ui' ana II he does not listen more than
e 'alks' You would see something OF
me 1ccing that 1 have
Amused at NeuIands.
was amused tho other dav M =
Iehiark mat Senator Ncwlands made
had read him tho trust ucssogo ,,'.,
W ueliver 10 Congress some ten days
stnD go Was dclivcred, and l never
s.op doctorinS the things of that Kind
until the day I have TO deliver tben,
Wneh ne heard 1t read to Congress bo
saiu' mink 1t was better than when
you read 1t to me- said: .Scno
tor. there Is one thing whic1, no ~,
tnink YOU understand. I not only ,,so
ail the brains / have but ali can
borrow. and l have borrowed n lot
since read IT to you first That
uare say. is what gives the impression
Nu'"opecthcSS. am listening. I
am trying diligently to collect oIi t,,o
Drains that arc borrowable. that T NAV
not make more blunders than n 10 en-,
Ivitaoie that man should make who
mas great limitations of knowledpa
ana capacity. And tho emotion of tho
th'nS Is so great that I suppose that
must be some kind OF mask to con
ceal IT, I really feel sometimes as IF
were masqueradinG when I catch n
plc,ure OF myself in some printed de-
Scriptlon In between things that 7
nave fo'do as public officer. 7 never
thihk or myself as the President of
inc United States. because never have
nah any sense Of being identified viii,
that ohce. I feel like person an
pointed for a certain length OF time
TO administer that Office, and feel
Just as much outside OF It Mt this mo
mcnt as / did before I was elected IN
II. feel Just as much outside ns 7
sun feel outside OF tho government OF
the United Smtcs
N Man the Government.
NO man could imagine himself tho
government of the United States. but
he could understand that some port
OF his fellow -citizens had told him to
go and run n ccrtain/part of 1t the best
no knew how. That would not make
MIN tho government itself or the thing
ltselF. 1t would just mako him respon-
slDle FOR running II the best he knew
now. The machine is so much greater
than himself, tho office Is so mlch
greater than himself: the Office Is so
much greater than he can ever be,
and the most he can do Is to look
grave enough and self-posscssed enough
to seem to fill it. can hardly refrain
every now and again from tipping the