The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-11-04
,E.RM\A9NY

Ito the United States to keep the war
within bounds. Uncle Sam became the
Atlas of the world, and nearly every
lbeliSerent requested this government
to take over Its diplomatic and consul
lar interests in enemy countries. d.
plomacy, commerce, finance and ship
ping suddenly became dependent upon
this country. Not only the belligerents
but the neutrais sought the leadersh p
/ of nation which could look af-
ter all the interests. except those Of
purely military and naval operations
! The eyes of the world centered upon
| Washington. President Wilson, as the
| Official head 0t ,Le government. was
singled out as the che man to help
them In their suffering ald 10 listen
to their appeals. Tho hclligerent gov
ernments addressed their protests and
! their notes to Wilson. Belgium sent
a special commission 10 gain the presi-
/ dents ear. The peace friends through
oGt the world. even those in the bell
| liEerent countries, looked to Wilson
! for guidance and help.
| In August, 1914. Mrs. Woodrow VIII
son, the presidents wife, was danger
ously III. l was at the White House
every day to report Developments
there for the United Press. On the
evening of the 5th of August Score
tary Tumulty called the correspon-
dents and told them that the presi-
| dent, who was deeply distressed by the
war and who was suffering personally
| because Of his wlfes illness, had writ
ten at his wifes bedside the following
| message:
AS official head OF one of the
powers afgnatory to The Hague
convention. feel 1t to he my
| ticle III of that convention, to say
| 20 you In the spirit OF most earn
est friendship that should well
! come an onnortu1tty to act in the
! interests of European peace either
! now or at any other time that
| might be thought more suitable.
] as an occasion to serve you and
! all concerned In way that would
a~ord me lasting cause for graft
tude and happiness
! WOODROW WILSON.
! The presidents secretary cabied this
10 the emperors OF Germany and Aus
tria Hungary. the king OF England.
the car Of Russia and the president
of France. The presidents brief note
touched the chord of sympathy of the
whole world; but II was too late then
to stop the war. European statesmen
had been preparing for conflict. With
the public support which each nation
had. each government wanted to fight
until there was victory
One OF the first things which seem ed
10 appeal to President Wilson was the
fact that net only public opinion OF
Europe, but 81 America, sought a
spokesman. Unlike Roosevelt. who
iod public opinion; unlike Taft. who
s',sreGardcd Il, Wilson took tn" att
tod thar the greatest force IN the
world was public opinion, He b..
Nevcd public opinion WIS greater than
tho PRESIDENCY. He felt that he was
ifhe man VIA American people had
chosen to interpret and express their
opinion, Wilson's policy was 10 per
mil public opinion to rule America.
Those of US who spent two years In
Germanv could see this very clearly.
The president announced tho plank
for his international phlicy when he
spoke at the annual meeting Of the
American Bar association at Washing
ton shortly after the war began.
The opinion Of tha world IS the
mistress OF the werl l." he said. land
the processes OF international law are
the slow processes by which ( 'nion
works lis will. what in1presses me
Is rhe constant thought that that Is
the tribunal at the bar OF which we all
cdentally, to the Circumstance that it
does not observe the ordinf rules of
e~ldeDce, which has soInet Fnes suge
gested to ms that the ordinary rules
Of evidence had shown some signs Of
growing antique. Everything, rum0r
included, is heard in this court, and
the standard OF judgment Is not SO
much the character Of the testimony
as the character of the witness. The
motives are disclosed. the purposes
are coniectured and that opinion is
finally accepted which seems 10 be not
the best founded in law. perhans. but
the best founded in integrity OF char
aeter and of morals That Is the
process witch is slowly working It's
will upon the world: and what we
should be warchfui of is not so much
Jealous interests as sound principles
OF action. The disinterested course is
not alone the biggest course to pur-
sue. but it is In the long run the most
proAtable course to pursue If you
car establish your character you can
establish your credit ;;
Understand me, gentlemen. am
not venturing in this presence to I'm
peach the law. For the present, by
the force of circumstances, I am in
part the embodiment of the law, and
IT would he very awkward to d'savow
myself. But 7 do wish to make this
intimatton, that IN this time OF world
change, IN this time when we are CO.
ing TO md out Just now, In what par
ticular and TO what extent the real
fats OF human life and the moral
judgments OF mankind prevail. It is
worth while looking inside our rnu-
nicipal law and seeing whether the
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