New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-28
"PUT YOURSELF IN HIS PLACE"
Explorations Into the Mind and Moving
Springs of Our President.
To the Editor of The Tribune.


Sir The true explanation of the futile TAX
ing and subsequent evacuation of Vera Cruz
is to be found not in the logic Of events
the events were in the main illogical-but
in explorations into the mind, the ante
cedents, the moving springs of action, OF
Mr.. Woodrow Wilson.
This method of solving mysteries was con-
vncingly set forth in long since forgotten
novel written by Charles Reade, entitled,
"Put Yourself in His Place." the principal
character Of which is physician whose plan
and theory were to detach himself from his
own personality and reason out the problem
along the lines of the mentality, the environ
ment, the hopes, fears, motives, aspirations
of the party under investigation.
Applying this method to the case OF
Wilson and Vera Cruz-and the same will
apply to the Pershing invasion and with
drawal-the first illuminating fact we
strike is that Mr. Wilson is not really a
Democrat, at least not one "to the manner
born" His active political career began by
his turning his back on all his previous
teaching. When he wrote that he would
like to see William Jennings Bryan knocked
into a cooked hat" he undoubtedly wrote
what he fully believed at the time. AS
convert somewhat late in life, to new
faith, he is never quite sure OF himself.
His theory of democracy is to learn what
"the people" want done, then do it, lie
does not feel democracy; he experiments,
makes tests throws up feathers to see which
way the wind is blowing. Every once in a
while he blurts out, in one form or an
other, with charming naivete, that he does
rot know what "the people" are thinking
about. He is lonesome, aloof, anxious to
serve humanity If he can find the way,
tut familiar with the common heart through
the midnight oil of the student rather than
through personal contact
His sending Of the Swede, Mr.. Lind, to
Mexico as his personal representative, to
find out what the Mexicans were really and
truly thinking, shows Mr.. Wilson at his best
and at his worst Mr.. Wilson reasoned that
in order to have an impartial Investigator Of
conditions he must have man who had no
interests there, so he sends a man who
knows nothing Of the country and does not
speak the language; in other words, man
who could not by any possibility find out
anything for himself at first hand.
Things had begun to happen in Mexico
about the time Mr.. Wilson took Office. In
fact, they had begun prior to that time.
Complaints in regard to outrages on Ameri-
can lives and property in Mexico were ac-
cumulating and were more and more per-
sistent IL was evident that something
must be done, something to satisfy and mol
lily the growing evaporation of the Ameri-
cans in Mexico, their friends in this country,
and other Americans who feel mortified and
Inundated at continued unredressed and
unheeded assaults on their countrymen any
where, whether friends strangers. So
what does Mr.. Wilson do?
Mr. Wilson decides, after one of his lone
some, golf-walking, selfcommuning talks
with himself, that at the very first oppor-
tunity, at the next slightest pretext, he
would make a demonstration against Mexico.
He makes no confdants and no especial
preparation is made for the anticipated ex-
plosion Of patriotic wrath. II was planned
to be spontaneous, by "the people" Then
along came the insult to the flag, not much
of an incident in itself as compared with
many preceding atrocities, but enough.
To Mr.. Wilson, brooding, watching and
waiting, looking for an opening for quar-
rel, it was the "last straw" II did not
occur to Mr.. Wilson that no one else would
regard the incident as anything out OF the
ordinary in the matter Of straws. Wilson
expected confidently an outburst OF patri-
otto rage such as followed the blowing up
of the Maine.
Instead of that the very people ne had
relied upon to keep matters at fever heat
were mildly wondering why such fuss
was made over so little a thing; what had
occasioned his sudden blaze of anger. They
had become accustomed to being chloro-
formed and wet-blanketed and were too
torpid to rise to the occasion. Emotional
fervor flares up at the time things happen.
II may be warmed over a little. perhaps. By