Evening star., 1915-05-23
esieaemt Wilson Faces international Crisis

1892 until 1910 as president OF that in
Stttution of learning. The next year
came a plunge into practical politics,
the hardest kind of a fight. and his
election as Governor of New jersey.
Two years later resignation from
that ONCE and a journey to the White
House
II will be noted instantly OF course
that in all his DAYS on earth IN to the
present Woodrow Wilson has not been
engaged in business affairs He has
had no personal experience in direct
ing labor in mines mills; he has not
had to earn his livelihood hv buying
and selling merchandise. or real estate,
or other commodity security. After
recent administrations mauN men of
industrial. commercial and financial ar
fairs deNontiN We're hoping that tho
next President would he one trained in
practical matters and able to give
the country what they termed "a bust
ness adm nistration
To he sure. President Wilson's theo-
ries to the federal government
part in business matters were upheld
by others by a large body of export
ers and importers. for example; by a
portion of the farming community and
by nor a few professional men. such as
LAWYERS. physicians and educators Bni
il is fair to say thar in general wav
those at the head of industrial corpo-
rations manufacturing plants. railways,
steamship lines and financial institn
lifelong student would measure up'' 10
the Importance of aiding the country to
regain material prosperity. to shut or
needless agitation for drastic changes
in business policies. to exert quiet
ing. soothing infiuence--in a word. to
let business have chance to get on
its feet once more.
In bygone times a good many revcr-
ent Americans have felt that the
United States. founded for the very
purpose of permitting civil and re-
Hgious liberty. was under the guiding
care of a special providence. IL lis not
impossible that some Americans of to-
day breathe more freely because in the
present crisis the head of the nation is
one whose whole life has been devoted
ceaselessiy to the study of problems
confronting governments well To
rejecting upon the issues thereof and
the consequences to mankind which
have followed.
More than one political opponent of
emnence has felt since the European
war burst on the world that If Wood
row Wilson had deliberately prepared
himself from early manhood to handle
and direct our national policy in the
very Crisis now confronting the land
he could have chosen no better course
OF preparation than that which he has
been following for forty years-ever
since the day he entered Davidson Col
lege in North Carolina to fiji himself
to enter the freshman class at Prince
ton. Equipped by four decades of
search. availing himself of the knowl-
edge and experience of that picked
body of international lawyers called
the unofficial counsel to the State De-
partment-President Wilson knew
where his duty to humanity lay, when,
like lightning bolt. came the an
nouncement of the Lusitania tragedy
Outside of his own family the Presi-
dent has had few companions, almost
no intimates. Today, ii is said. about
the only companion he has is Dr. Gray
son, like himself southerner: like
himself a man of serious scientific at
tainment in his special field of medi-
cine, and like himself a man of COM
paratively few words. And vet who
knows what may lie beyond the screen
of austere dignity"
To the world at large President Har-
rison seemed to be almost an iceberg
in human form: but those who knew
the White House in his day remember
how he used to toss grandchild on
his shoulder and romD up and down
the long. high corridors: and many
be cited.
That President Wilson has a side
to his character unseen of the world
may be surmised when one hears. for
example that on a certain summer day
a year or so ago, while at his Prince
ton residence, he and daughter ana
a girl friend of hers spent an entire
afternoon under the shady foliage OF
great trees. doing what? Just compos-
ing Observation-Disclosures of the jolliest.
most nonsensical kind imaginable: and
it is said that the President ala NOT
come out third in the contest. not ny
any means Every American must hope
that this little story is true-that the
President who is this day shouldering
such anxiety. such strain. may be aple
to find relief through indulging in that
lightness of spirit which is priced be-
yond measure by men who are wise
What Berlin will do in response 10
President wilson's note cannot ne
known in advance. But what wilson
will do is stated emphatically by those
who ought to know whereof they are
speaking. And they declare that moth
ing can swerve the President from ms ~
decision to uphold the principles OF
human rights laid down in his note 10
the imperial government of Germany
tCcpyright, 1915, BY the Wheeler Syndicate, Inc,