Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-05-28

sion He thus recognizes the new forces
OF decentralization and the new forces
Of Capitalization.
Our government has only occasionally
been governed by thought Mostly our
nrogress in Aemrica has been the result
Of the crude impact OF events. Few OF
orr leaders have had any historical or
economic background; few have had any
mower of constructive thinking. Again
and again we have drifted until impaled
upon the event; and have had our educa-
ton by process of explosion. sixty
years ago. inspite of the noblest efforts
Of the noblest thinker OF his time, the
country exploded in civil war, and by
this bloody means came to a solution Of
the slavery question. We explode
periodically in strikes-and learn little.
All OF these destructive explosions might
be avoided If. instead of plunging ahead
and acting breathlessly all the time. we
should stop for moment and think
really think. THE inability to stay quiet
| che irritable desire to act directly"
! writes Walter BaEehot. us one of the
most conspicuous failings of mankind"
It hurts to think 1t is immeasurably
less painful to act. Try it and see!
For the moment then, the government
is being guided by thought Mr.. Wilson
is thinker.
| Now, a thinker is so rare, either in
the White House or outside of II, that
1t Is difficult to know just how to take
him. washington has not been so
puzzled over anyone in years as it Is
over Mr.. Wilson.
I CHANGED to come across two men who
had recently been up to the White House
to call on the president. The first one
told me he thought Wilson extremely
difficult Of approach-not so much physi-
cally as intellectually-that he was dis
tant uncommunicative, likely to parry
inquiries with pleasing ironies. l should
say that this was the dominant view OF
Washington of those who go rather fire.
ouently to see Mr.. Wilson. While he
! meets his visitors with smile he rarely
, volunteers anything. He stands ant
waits patiently. as though reservins
both his physical and mental strength
Some visitors. remembering the vita
impact of that tremendous energizer o.
Roosevelt, or the robust good humo
, of Taft come away from the quie
thinker of the White House puzzled anc
disappointed.
; The other visitor l talked with is him
self a thinker and personally rather shy
, He saw something in the currency bill
that he thought was wrong. He worke
q it out carefully. 1t preyed upon him
He felt that the country must be saved
= q love to meet a man who feels tina
= he must save the countryO Well, h
o went up to see Mr.. Wilson, and fror
. the rather tncoherent report he gives
= for he came away much delighted-Wil
Q son appears one of the most affablt
:, enthusiastic, and appreciative of men.
d What happened was this: Ny frien
Y had a real and important idea, and h
and it We're received by the presiden
d with that joy and enthusiasm with whic
a true thinker ever welcomes an idea
: Here was a man who could help hir
y and help the country.
Most men who so to the White Hous
and claim share of the president
priceless time have no business what
ever there. They want to see the pres
dent; they want to touch his hand @
hear his voice; so that afterward the
may exhale family something of tn
:, aroma of great place" They go to &c
something, not to give something, an
= Mr.. Wilson, conserving every ounce o
his none to robust energy for the worl
before him, appears reserved, distant.