Evening journal., 1915-03-06
The Half Way House
lFrom the New York SUM-

stitution Of Business and the New
Freedom; but let the end crown the
work.
In such phrases, 10 which "the SER
vice of mankind" may be added as
one OF the most bitterly ironic IN
view of the sacrifice of many Ameri-
can lives and most American inter-
osts in Mexico. we seem TO iiId The
essential Mr.. Wilson, apart from his
innexible tenacity Of purpose and
avoidance of advice. He is an incor-
rieible Platonist His idea is more
than the fact: indeed the fact is but
the faint shadow of the idea. How
many men with great business inter-
ests in Mexico have tried, and have
not been allowed, to tell MIN what
they believed TO be the trouble? How
many business men. before he saw
the danger of alternating that outlaw
class. have tried TO set before him
the facts of business? In vain. He
is an intuitionist. And he is pre-
siding at the meeting OF a docilc
faculty. To say this is TO say moth
ing disparaging of an academic mind,
full of subleties but supplemented
with high energy, passion for COM
mand and belief. and just BELIEF.
i'm his Intellectual powers, in the ardor
of his patriotism, in his high soaring
I desire for the good of mankind and
his reelection. But no man can dis
locate himself from his past. AS q
| don Mr.. Wilson has learned TO be
impatient of contradiction and un-
swerved in his purpose. His team
work consists Of unfaltering obedi-
fence to the captain.
Within few months-and tho
time Of a certain voluntary intellec-
tual degradation if the term may be
used without offence, begins with the
Indianapolis speech-Mr. Wilson has
sought to break out from that clois-
tered loneliness which is his natural
habitat He is a political eremite, a
permanent solitary, well bred 5
Rcmuald. There is a lofty dignity
in that isolation. But IL Edward
Everett. were he now among us
should try to be George NJ. Cohan
would the result be happy?
To give these frank impressions o.
a salient, vital and always interesting
character is not to forget the inalien
able respect which is due to a Presi
dent of the United States who, ever
more than MIR. Roosevelt, has real
lied the elastic capabilities of tina
post. nor to misunderstood the charm
of a scholars temperament assocl
ated by a rare good fortune Will
great power and its enjoyment No
is IL TO forget for a moment tina
party politics stops at the water
edge" and that the whole cOuntr.
fill support Mr.. Wilson in manly do
fence Of its rights and the rights o
neutrals against the aggressions o
belligerents on international law.
has been said in apology for the Dem
. ocratic party in power that the wa
has thrown business and the reve
nues out of gear and that the benefl
cent results of Democratic policy hav
been obscured thereby. Just TO tn
contrary, we hold that the war ha
been Mr.. Wilson's best friend; tina
, Il has created q feeling Of indulgenc
e and at times an artificial solidarit
of opinion that have delayed or con
, / cealed the actual Democratic fractur
| and the end of popular Illusion.
On account of the war American
3 strive to forget the Pantaloon whoI
e Mr.. Wilson, for political reasons, in
$ serted into the State Department an
e the Harlequin of the Navy.
= What, after all. and with a full al
}. probation of the good intentions :
Mr.. Wilson. is the feeling among ;
y least a plurality of Americans as NJ
e Wilson stands at the doors of III
e Half Way House? Is it not one {
patient or impatient semi-resignatio
a and hope? "The doctor tells me I ca
2 get up in two weeks" how many
d man has said that With enthusiasm
II Well. perhaps. the United States ca
l. get up in two years.