New-York tribune., 1917-12-30
Wilson Was Long Pre-.
pared for War
T OSEPH RENACH, the emIn.,,

4 OSkPH RElNACH, the ennen,
I French publicst, tells in a ree,,,
" issue Of the Paris Figaro OF .,
historic conversation he had with Colon,,
House early in 1915. In the course A.
that conversation the colonel revealed th,,
President Wilson was even then conyine,1
Of the righteousness Of the Allies cau..
and intended to intervene in their fsvo,
before the end Of the war Reinachs Az.
ticlc follows, in part:
I always had confidence In America eve,
In the days when criticised the slovu,,, !,
Americans and when some Of the most oror-
incnt men maintained that Americas p.a.
trality was more advantageous 20 the Alb,,
than her entrance into tho war. enter.
tained my beliefs for two reasons. one spseis.
and the other Of a general character. which
it would be interesting now 70 relate
"An enthusiastic friend Of Roosey.t
brought 20 me one day tho most ntima,,
friend OF President Wilson, Colonel House
I was very deeply impressed By the inteIli.
cence and the sincerity o. the man. When n,
declared III was at the beginning Of isi1
that Wilson was convinced Of the right OF m,
furthermore declared that Wilson obeyes
nothing but his conscience and that he woaIi
intervene in .avor Of the Allies before the
end Of the war, also believed.
Colonel House, as it can be understood.
did not set any definite date. He endesyorsd.
on the one hand, not % compromise the hish.
est magistrate Of his country. and. on II.
other, TO leave no doubt as 10 the moral
value of his friend. Tie told me that Wilso,
has been making his plans far in advance,
and that his Will IS strong and tenacious. Hi.
first ambition was 20 make the grea, major.
ity Of his fellow citizens accept the ideas
which ne regards as just.
"House held the same views when saw
him the following year during his second
visit TO Europe. He thus encouraged my
patience and prepared ne for what was soon
70 follow.
"Wilson was going 70 be candidate for q
second Presidency. The great mass Of Demo.
Gratis is in the Middle West and in the West.
crn states Of America. There the peace sent.
ment and pacifsm were dominant. The Ger.
mans and German-Americans were numerous
there and we're excited or troubled by an
active propaganda. Furthermore, Wilson had
as an opponent either Roosevelt himself OF
a friend Of the impetuous Teddy
"What a powerful opponent for man who
had laboriously negotiated and written 80
many official notes that he had been CON-
pared TO a writing machine. At that time
Wilson was entering the electoral arena. and,
as a candidate, was no'longer bis better SELF
T. was at that time that, in defiance OF bis
violent opponents, he asked them to fnd
single man who was capable 10 say who was
right and who was wrong in the enormous
conflict and that he uttered the famous
words: Too proud to fight. But when re.
elected and prevented by custom from beng
elected a third time, he freed himself from
vain or necessary prudence. At present he
allows his heart TO express itself only 10 ae'
cord with reason. He sends forth into the
world splendid and powerful messages, as %
is the foremost writer in his country
But | also had another reason for my eon'
fdence in America, and that was my under
standing OF the American soul. oh
the outside, America is a country oi energeue
and rude toilers. industrialis,s, hnsneiers,
workmen. agriculturists and politicians. bu'
within. under a thick cover, America mas .
soul that is mbued with an ideallsm that
very much higher than that Of many NATIONS
that are composing sonnets and flute meio'
dies in praise OF it,