The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-06-09
ACTS FOR PUBLIC
PRESIDENT SOUNDING SENTI=
MENT. OF PEOPLE
THROWS MEXICO In Ring

Lets Citizens Have Thought on Other
Subjects Besides German Crisis
Mexican Discussion May Prove the
Safety Valve and Prevent Popu-
lar Cla1nor to Enter Into War.
1T is quite certain that President
Wilson is trying out public senti-
ment with regard to the issues which
have been precipitatcd with Germany
by the Lusitania tragedy" says K.
Foster Murray, in The News and
Courier.
That the president has personal
views concerning that terrible act can
be seen sufficiently from the broad
lines of condemnation laid down in
the note written with his own hand
to the German government, which has
replied in an erasive manner as to
the technical facts involved, and in
no manner whatever as to the general
issue of humanity raised by the.
American executive.
But Mr.. Wilson is going to leave
it to the people of the United States
to indicate the extent to which this
government shall go in backing up its
protest. He is going to handle mat
ters in su>I way that the feelings
of the people (barring further Ger
man provocation) will subside it the
existing indignation is not of the deep
and enduring sort that should pre-
cede such stern step as war on the
severance of diplomatic relations.
Almost simultaneously with the
publication of the unsatisfa ctory re-
ply from Germany to the Presidents
note the White House gave the coun-
try a surprise with an intima,tion Of
a tendency to intervene in Mexico.
Newspaper men generally got the i'm
preston that the administration had
about reached the point Of confess
ing the failure of 'watchful waiting
inasmuch as armed forces Of about
one hundred and fifty thousand men
in the unfortunate country are bring
ing fifteen million Of its inhabitants
to the verge Of starvation after more
than two years Of incessant turmoil
and intermittent anarchy.
MANY Of the newspapers of the
| United States have played up this
Mexican development as their very
| first piece of news, giving it prece-
dence in location and display over the
progress Of the discussion with Ger
many. Whether deliberately intend:
ed to serve this purpose or not, the
sudden revival of the Mexican ques-
tion has given the American people
an additional foreign subject to think
about, and the amount Of attention
they pay-to it in comparison with the
fGerman problem will constitute a
valuable test Of the very thing the
administration desires to ascertain.
1t would be hard to convince any
careful observer that this government
seriously considers taking on two
wars at one time when it didn't nave
| to, or that Mexico wouldn't be let
alone while longer if the trouble
with the kaiser came to blows.
Another interesting development
in connection with the German con-
rtoversy is that the president, pos
sibly taking cogniZance Of the feeling
due to his preparation of the first
note without consulting the secretary
of state or any Of his official advisers,
has taken care this time to let it be
nderstood that before the second note
was written the cabinet was called
| together and the views of each mem
Der carefully ascertained and consid-
| cred.
Thus the president takes prompt
occasion to apply balm to wounds
caused by his method of preparing
| the first note AS Secretary of State,
Mr. Bryan could not escape the en-
barrassment if the president persist
ed in ignoring him in the formulation
of diplomatic deliverances of the frst
Importance. With the tact which
rarely fails him, Mr. Wilson changes
the order of things and sees the cabi-
| net first with regard to the second
step in the German affair, happily re-
| lieving a situation which was almost
strained.
! 1T is an open secret in Washing
ton that the secretary of state did
not altogether approve of the man
ner in which the German issue was
handled by the president at first. but
the present change in procedure,
| viewed as a concession to the premier
! Of the cabinet or not, would seem to
leave the latter without any cause OF
| complaint or dissatisfaction as to the
second move.
1.-The subjugation of public senti-
ment to the test of new Mexican
| sensation as counter attraction at
this critical stage in the German ne
gotiations is bound to meet the cor
| dial approval of such confirmed
lover of peace as Mr.. Bryan, and it
can not be criticised by any American
who believes that no deliberate ad-
| vance to war should be made without
! the public's demonstrated desire and
sanction.
LAS thoroughly as President Will
son understands the art of publicity,
insofar as his own outgivings are
| concerned. he has always failed to
appreciate certain fundamental Pc
culiarities of the newspa per business.
| 4 little experience in the business
| would have convinced him OF the fu-
tility of the suggestions which he
makes from time to time to the cor
respondents that the progress of our
foreign affairs would be helped if the
newspapers refrained from speculat-
ing about the contents OF diplomatic
documents before they are officially
published. or about the possible or
probable courses of the respective
governments with regard to difficult
matters of controversy.
"It is quite possible to sympathize
with an executive in annoyance at
speculation with regard to foreign
affairs, or even domestic affairs in
many cases, but it is impossible to
prevent or control speculation in the
press or among the public. Indeed,
the more the government Of coun-
try like ours attempts to keep mat
ters under cover in important crises,
even though the policy be proper. the
more speculation there is sure to be.
And it pr badly serves good