The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-25
By JAMES MORGAN.


peace or war lies in the palm OF the
President's hands, tells OF the paradox
presented by the foremost republic in
its dealings with the foreign world.
which sees only one man and hears
only one voice. when it turns to the
greatest democracy among the nations,
the President in international relations
being more of autocrnt than the
Kaiser or Gar. A story of what
Presidents can do and have done.
Another article in this series of
backgrounds and side lights of the
war will be published next Sunday.
When a precious pair of Mexican
revolutionists recently pursued the
President into his New Hampshire re-
treat they showed themselves lacking
IN consideration for Mr.. Wilson's we'll
deserved and much vacation.
But IN trailing him from Washington
to Cornish Col. Jesus NJ. Aguilar and
Maj Yrenso A. Garcia displayed a
sound understanding of American in
situations. Evidently they know that.
in its foreign relations. the great re-
public is a great autocracy and that.
for international purposes. its capital
hang up his hat.
When Vienna flung out the Serbian
ulrInatum last July and Berlin rat
lied the sd her, both kaisers were away
on their summer vacations. We all re-
member how they and some of their
lettering brother sovereigns. as we'll
A. the President of France, scurried
hack to their several capitals like call
tiremen, but. apparently, to find the
mine already touched off beneath the
peace of Europe. Cousin George ap-
a.aled to Cousin Nicholas and Cousin
Nicholas and Cousin William appealed
20 each other to stop pushing the
world over the precipice; but each
protested that he was powerless to
halt the rush to arms
Now. those royal protestations have
heen regarded with more or less in
'reduIity in the United States. whose
republican citizens are doubtful if
monarchs could he so helpless in their
monarChies. Americans never can quite
conceive what impa lpabIe shadows the
King OF England and the President of
France are Nor can they appreciate
the limitations of the German and Aus
TRAN Kaisers and even of him who is
STYLED the autocrat of the Russias
But all three of those Emperors in
VARYING degrees are driven or tied
by their imperial families. their courts
their armies and their bureaucracies
as we'll s by their Parliaments. On
every side their thrones are hemmed
IN 10y AMBITIOUS heirs and klnsmen
and by the Intrigues of factions, |
through whom the crowned potentates
must work. Only masterful Fred
erIck the Great or willful Peter the !
Great could have his own way. and It !
is doubtful if prototype of either |
of those despots could sway so abso- |
lutely the far more huge and intricate
machinery of modern Empire.
The Inrrowned Autocrat.
l. has come TO pass. therefore. that |
no sceptered sovereign on his hered- |
Itary throne really is as powerful as
the elected chief of the American DEM
oCracy within the broad sphere ap-
portioned to him by the Constitution.
The President of the United States.
YOU may he sure. is in no danger of
having anything started in his alb
n appointment TO a third class postmas-
rership.
Mexican revOlutIonists may be re-
f-rred from Cornish to Washington,
and dispatches from belligerent pow
ers may be addressed to the capital.
as well assured that everything will
wait on him. was "a certain man
out in Illinois,. whom Lincoln de-
sCribed. \ feel the war President
explained, like a convict in one of
our towns felt when he was going to
road in custody of the sheriff. the peo-
pie. eager to see the hanging. kept
Crowding and pushing by him. At last
he called out. Boys. you needn't be in
such hurry to get ahead for there
won't he any fun till get there"
II Americans fail to grasp the diff
fusion of power in kingdoms and en-
pires. no doubt Europeans have been
surprised the past few months to see
the concentration of power in the
United States. Contrast the British.
Italian and French governments in
this war time with the government at
Washington. No one man has been
speaking for any of those countries
as the President has spoken for the
United States. II
In England. Mr.. Asquith. Sir Edward
Grey. Mr.. Lloyd George and Lord I
Kitchener seem TO have been playing |
almost equal parts. each under the in
slant control OF the Cabinet And the ,
Cabinet nightly submits itself to par ,
lament which may dismiss it on the !