Evening journal., 1918-12-04
President Wilson's Farewell Address
From The New York Sun. }

/ means so definite as might be wished
And even II the invitation were unanl-
nous and the desire superheated, there
would still remain the fact that Mr..
Wilson can crafty II only by aban-
doning for a time the duties and func-
tions imposed on him alike by the
Constitution and his oath Of office. His
paramount duty is defined not by the
desires Of the foreign Governments,
not by his own inclination and deci-
sion, but by the Constitution and his
oath to execute faithfully the office OF
President and TO the best Of his ability
preserve. protect and defend the Con-
stitutlon Of the United States.
/. The faithful execution Of the office
of President and the preservation. pro-
lection and defence Of the Constitu-
tion include certain functions which
he admittedly cannot perform during
an absence OF Indefinite duration at a
distance of three or four thousand
miles. He offers no opinion from any
jurist or jurisconsut. not even from
his own Attorney-General, that his alb
sence will not constitute that disability
which automatically devolves the pow
ers and duties of the President upon
the Vice-President, just as surely as
when the President dies. He has the
boldness. or confidence in the su-
premacy OF his individual will, to tell
the Congress that he win not be sin
accessible;." that he VIII keep in
touch" with II by cable and wireless
that wherever on the face OF the earth
he may be he will yet be available
for any counsel or service you may
desire OF me-" A President conscious
of approaching dissolution might SINH
larly refuse to turn over his power and
duties to his designated successor on
the ground that he would still be able,
through expert and swift spiritual
medium, TO communicate his views and
exercise his official functions from the
other side of the dark river.
AS TO the Wilson fourteen, in the in
terest OF whose PRONUNCIATION and full
1lment be abandons some Of the most
defined duties Of the law over
him and the oath he has taken, he adds
not the slightest bit OF information to
what the public already knows. A
policy which may be so shaped in the
process of negotiation as virtually 10
bind this republic TO responsibilities
revolutionizing our entire system he
now holds almost defantly as his
private and personal secret, double
locked In his own head against acquIsl-
tiOn by the coordinate department of
the Government. Disclaiming any
private thought or purpose" Of his
own in performing his concealed er-
rand, he gets no nearer to definition
Of that errand than 10 describe it as
into action 'the great ideals
for which America has striven," as
making good what they (our soldiers)
have offered their lifes blood to OBJ
tain," as interpreting "the principles
and purposes OF the country we love-
This is mere rhetoric and unsubstan-
.ial.
All other features OF the address, con-
'idered as an annual message by the !
President TO the Congress on the state |
II the Union, fade into comparative in |
'ignl1cance beside this unparalleled as
sumption Of almost autocratic powers.
Since our national history began there |
las been nothing like the theory Of a
Presidents powers and duties here by |
him disclosed. His departure under !
such circumstances, and with so bold a
defiance OF the prevailing sentiment |
OF the country so plainly expressed at !
his own invitation in the recent Con-
sress elections, creates the most i'm |
Dortant issue and raises the greatest !
question now before the American re-
)ublie-namely, the question as to who |
5 legally the republics President now
hat Mr.. Wilson is sailing away on the
ieorge Washington on a mission un-
'nown TO our Constitution and laws.
This question is obviously not for
elf-determination by Mr.. Wilson. but
or the Federal Legislature in its poll
ical aspects and for the Federal Judi
iary I'm its final phase.