New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-05
Now and Then.

ton that all men ana women dSN W ''N
man who would lead them. 1t Is not by
words alone 10y phrases which catch the
fancy, please the patriotism or crafty the
pride. that a public mans title TO moral
leadership is proven In the end there
will be asked &C him the inevitable interro-
cation: DO you believe this? Does this
thing represent your conviction, your de-
liberate faith
Precisely this question millions of Amer
leans are now asking themselves at the
close of Mr.. Wilson's Western tour. A year
ago Mr.. Wilson told the country that It
was the duty Of Americans TO refrain
from any step that might even give the
suggestion Of military preparation. Now
he has demanded that we have the great
est navy in the world. a few months ago
in the presence of our Lusitania dead he
told the world that a nation might be
"too nroud to fight" In recent days he
has been telling an amazed people that
with the world on fire and the sparks fall
ing in all directions we cannot tell what
tomorrow may bring forth.
In the whole history Of this country
there has never been such a recklessness
Of phrase. of statement, by the President
cf the United States as Mr.. Wilson has
INDUCED in with respect to our foreign re-
lations in the past ten days. Behind this
period there never have been such restraint
secrecy. avoidance Of publicity, as have
marked his conduct Of foreign affairs.
What does it mean? Is it possible that
the man who believed in December, 1914
We should have no insurance against war
believes to-day we need the greatest navy
in the world? Is it possible that the
President who still retains Josephus
Daniels as Secretary of the Navy, with
all that this means, is actually and SIN
cerely a convert TO policy OF naval ex-
pansion which makes little navy" man
of Theodore Roosevelt?
There is. Of course, nothing unusual IN
a change of views by a public man. The
present French Premier BRAND, began
life as an extreme Socialist 1t Is true
that NJ. BRAND achieved his great distinc-
ton by modifying French railroad en-
poyes under military law to avoid a gen
eral strike. But in the case of N. BRAND
we can trace through the years the slow
DEVELOPMENT Of his mind. But Mr.. Will
sons change is so TO speak, over night.
Yesterday he was with Mr.. Bryan on one
side of the question; to-day he has out
stripped Colonel Roosevelt IN the other
camp.
Fatally. men are led to recall other Incl
dents in Mr.. Wilson's career that are Of
a similar character. Surely no one has
forgotten that the Mr.. Wilson who wrote
the Joline letter eagerly looking forward
10 "knocking Mr. Bryan into a cooked hat
Is the President Wilson who made Mr.
BRYAN his Secretary Of State
To take a far more recent case, still in
every mans mind in this part Of the
country. 1t is only "a few days ago that
Mr.. Wilson. patiently because he desired
Tammany support for his Presidential
activities. agreed to name as Postmaster
Of thi, town a Tammany selection be-
cause he was satisfactory TO Tammany
Yet how long ago is it since Mr.. Wilson
declined to attend a dinner because Tam
many politicians were among the guests
Ii is plain that many persons will, at
first thought. condemn those who criticisC
Mr. Wilson's present proposals in the light
of his past principles. Should not all men
rejoice because one man Of great power
and influence has taken a new stand, re-
veraed himself, wholly abandoned an ear
her position in the matter Of national de-
fence?
The answer is not as easy as it seems
II Mr. Wilson sincerely believes in ma
tional defence now, if lie is moved by deep
conviction only captious critics will
bother about his past But is II possible
TO believe that the man who clung to one
extreme Yesterday and easily forsakes il
to 20 TO the other to-day actually be-
leved in either course?
In the days since he was at Princeton
Mr.. Wilson has enlisted under many flags
He has marched with many associates
and. broadly speaking has he not deserted
each in turn as political advantage beck
cned or personal interest dictated? And
will the cause of real preparedness be
furthercd because the man who told US a
year ago it was immoral TO DO anything to
protect ourselves against a world in arms
to-day bids us arm, not reasonably, but 70
an extent undroamed Of before by any
who would have as arm al all?
There is no installing the fact. Mr..
Wilson has felt that his political necessi-
ties. the condition Of his campaign for a
denomination. have required him TO change
his position ON the question Of prepared
ress. and he ha, changed front. Tie has
been told that Colonel Roosevelt has de
rived strength from his appeals for pre-
paredneas and he las underworld u OUT