The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-11-28
WRONG SORT Of
PUBLICITY NOW
HURTING WILSON


CONTINUED From First PaE9j
Frank Cobb. editor of tho New York
World, who secured leave Of absence
from that newspaper and accompanied
Col, House 10 Versailles recently, VIII
handle the publicity OF the peace con
ference for the president and there
will be 10 censorship, Possibly con
sideration for Mr., Creels feelings
caused the omission OF Mr.. Cobb's
name, but loyalty TO personal friends
has been at the bottom Of most OF
the troubles of the administration:
Many OF the things which Mr., Creel
has done in foreign propaganda and
assisting the newspaper men at Wash
ingtoh deserve praise instead OF con
%demnation, and Il is known that many
OF his recommendation which would
have helped toward better publicity
were vetoed by the president himself.
Indeed, Mr., Wilson's ideas OF what
the function of newspapers is, differs
SO radically from what most OF the
editors and correspondents believe me
| American people wan TO see printed
about their government. that the ad-
ministration has itself to biame for the
numerous impressions of an erroneous
| character which go out of Washington
because the president refuses to con-
| slider the activity Of the press as rep
\ Tesenting the desire of the people for
news but simply the idle curiosity OF
/ Individual reporters,
For instance, ii may be surprising 20
the public to learn that the president
has not received the Washington cor
| respondents since May, 1916, n that
In the last IL months ne has not given
an audience to a single correspondent
in Washington. All of the men VINO
have been interpreting the Wilson ad-
ministration have, Of course. had the
| benefit Of occasional counsel with mem
bers of the cabinet, but even they were
so frequently uniformed as TO what the
president had in his mind, that the
| great majority OF the writer's who give
the people a daily resume Of what the
government is doing went u%nguided.
Many Of the men who write from
Washington have been and will be sym
pathetic with the, Wilson administra-
ktion because they bellows the principles
enunciated by the president on behalf
Of America are the very essence OF
human freedom and Democracy, and
the truth is that In their espousal OF
many of the things which Mr. Wilson
have considered his weaknesses in do
nestle policy as secondary. The time
has come, however, when In handling
so far-reaching n important n thing
as the settlement of a great war, a
feeling of genuine regret Is developing
among friends of the president on all
sides that he is not taking the people
sufficiently into his confidence even on
foreign policies.
Unfortunately, extreme criticism as
for example, an editorial by Col Roose-
Welt yesterday, which the president
could not help but see as it was printed
on the front page of the Washington
Post, serves only to solidify the friends
Of Mr.. Wilson and the president mis-
thusiastic support. The a~bsurdity OF
some of the criticisms of Mr., Wilson'S
administration have done more to keep
loyal friends of the president on his
side than any other single factor.
Mr.. Roosevelt declared that the pres
ident had been officially repudiated at
the last election and should therefore
not be considered by the allies as the
representative OF the American people,
but only one branch OF the American
government. Mr.. Wilson'S strength at
the peace conference will be the sup.
port America will give him as he leaves
our shores. Some of the men In the
allied countries who do not want q
democratic and unselfish peace will be
quick to take advantage of the division
in American opinion.
The suggestion made by former
President Taft, printed in a parallel
column alongside OF Col. Roosevelts
mintstration quarters. Mr., TAFT de-
clares the president owes 1t to the
members of the senate foreign relations
committee, Democrats as well as Re-
publicans, to- tell them what he has
In mind for the peace conference.
Mr.. Wilson would save himself much
embarrassment and leave behind an era
Of good feeling II he awaited himself OF
the suggestion, for the truth is much
of the extreme tactics of the presidents
opponents in. congress ia. due TO irrlta-
ton over Mr.. Wilson'S failure to con-
suit them on strictly American and not
partisan matters.
Many people in Washington are dis.
| attoptRw NykAfhar tho nRaaflAaN rvNRtIh
consult the senate leaders OF both par
ties before going. to the peace confer
ences. Some Of his %Staunchest friends
predict that he would not do so be-
cause of the outspoken utterances of
Senator Lodge in the last campaign
with one or two reservations accepted
by the allies. Others said Mr.. Wilson
might furnish q surprise and let by
cones be ~by-gones In the interest OF
president has beer. successful with
members of opposition parties before
he secured most of his progressive leg
islation as governor. OF New Jersey
when he dealt skilltully with a Repub-
lican legislature.
Mr.. Wilson Is a persuasive speaker.
Most of his opposition is due to the fact
that he will not explain what he wants
or take counsel even with the people
who are in sympathy with him. With
the fate OF American business and
foreign trade tied up IN the. outcome OF
the peace conference, d definite under
standing between the president and
senate leaders before he goes to Europe
might be followed by public statements
by those leaders which would effective
ly squelch the criticism in Europe that
the president does not speak for a
Copyright, 1918, by the New York
Evening Post, 1nc.)