Evening star., 1915-05-23

for he wanted to know how the indi-
viduaI American felt. He did not care
to see any newspapers, however. Tor
time was precious. and he had ahso-
Lutte faith that the press of the United
States irrespective of party affiliations,
would stand by the government, hul-
wark of immovable strength in this
time of national crisis. Such u tribute
of implicit confidence has rarely been
paid the newspapers of this country
He refrained from personal inter
views as far as possible: when ne
called for the opinion of this man or
that il must be sent to him in cold
typewriter statement. Then he could
weigh il impartially and unlnf1ucnCed
by personality.
One of the most curious and anus
ing beliefs prevalent during the past
days is that President Wilson has been
conducting the affairs of this country
upon his own rcSponsihility alone
Nothing could u" further from the
truth. II is fact that he makes up
his own mind: that he made it up re
carding the Lusitania horror, but not
until he had carefully considered the
views held by men of highest respons'-
biity in one field or another.
Very few are aware that -notwtth-
standing the ewinsncc and ability of
certain attaches of the state Depart
broke out last lugus; the government
has had at its service an unofficial
council. composed of the greatest au-
thorities on international law and pro-
cedure now living in this country.
Some of these men may he repub-
licans. some democrats Their political
leaning has had nothing to do with
the fact that they have been on duty
constantly for nearly ten months study
ing every move made by foreign pow
ers, interpreting relations of tins or
that to the United States. forecasting
as far as possible every emergency
which might arise and through such
information conveyed by the State De
NJ rtment to the White House. ena bling
President Wilson to possess the com
bined opinion OF the most experienced
advisers, that when the time came
to act he could act promptly and sure
ly. as he is doing.
Likewise the President knows def
nitely what the resources of the coun-
try are. When he shut himself up in
his private study, face to face with the
most critical situation that has arisen
for fifty years. II was not without fu,l
knowledge of the possibilities involved.
Whether he intended to stay there
working. thinking. planning. studying
documents all night long and until sat
urday morning came is not revealed
But he did not stay up all of that Fri
day night nor all of any other night
because DR.. Grayson was on duty just
as truly as was the President. And he
saw to it that President Wilson real
lied the Importance of avoiding physi-
cal overstrain by going to bed at ms
usual time, somewhere between 1890
and H. The President could get up at
daylight if he desired. s early IN the
morning as he chose. and again grasp
afresh his momentous task: and he
did so during the days when he was
framing the note to Germany. But Tor
the sake of the country. as well as for
his own sake. he must go to bed at an
early hour And this he did also.
Once or twice during the six days
following the Lusitania sinking the
President took a breath of fresh ar
while in a speeding automobile: once
he went to Philadelphia to deliver an
address; several times he was prevail
ed upon to relax by game of golf. to
which suggestions he was entirely
amenable.
If the impression exists in any quar-
ter that President Wilson has been or
is nervously overwrought or in con-
dition even approaching physical ex-
haustion, that impression needs en-
phatically to be revised
News of the Lusitania's fate burst
upon him with full force-that goes
without saying. But his self-control is
as great as his sympathy is keen. and
even this sudden and unparalleled trag
edy could not swerve him from his
duty. from his determination to hold
Germany to full account, to uphold
now and forever the rights of Ameri
can citizens freely to sail the seas un-
der provisions of international law.
And when finally he made up his mind
as to what he should do he sat down,
in the seclusion of his study, and with
his own hand wrote that note to the
imperial government of Germany.
This state communication,
compromising in it's assertion regard
ing human life and liberty on the part
of on-combatants. was not put on
the cable until its provisions had been
submitted to advisers. No President,
least of all so conservative man
Woodrow Wilson. would dream of
dispatching such document without
consultation, without hearing possible
criticism from his official family. In
this way his responsibility was shared
by members of the cabinet, and it
may be said in passing that every
one of them felt the weight.
AS soon as news came of the Lusi