Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-04
Circulation Every 1QIO7
Evening Yesterday 1 Jaw
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER I, 1915.
With Our President Abroad.

In his address to the Congress, Mon
dav, President Wilson very clearly set
forth the reasons that decided his mind
in the direction that IL was necessary
he should attend the Peace Conference
at Versailles Also. he left no misunder-
standing in respect of the status OF his
official position while on the high seas or
on the other side OF The ocean. He made
i, clear that be expected IL remain Pres
idcnt Of the United Statc~ from the time
Of his sailing until the hour of his retnn-
so far as his opinion goes, there will not
be the slightest interrcgnuln IN tho office
OF President, or any occasion whatcvcr 70
call upon Vice-PreSidcnt Marshall 10
exercise the duties Of the office Of Pres
idcnt during his absence from the coun-
~, lie will be President 81 the United
States, right along.
There Is no doubt that President VIII
sons explanation in respect OF the con
troycIsy raised by his breaking uf the rule
oi more than century by leaving the
country during bis term Of Office Is about
the best that could lie devised. 81 the
most, il can but he regarded aS a measure
of doubtful proprety, and II legal dIf-
fic,Ilties threaten hereafter, they nay be
Determined in fact, would be by the
supreme Court Of the lnIted states
But President Wilson has plainly SAID
TO Congress and the people that nc viii
he President of the United States while he
is away, as much SO as he has been in his
country, and hy resort to the ocean cables
and the wonders of wireless tclcgrapty.
h. will be able to keep his mind and his
hand on the progress Of national events,
almost as completely as though be were
here at home
Still. the foreign voyage Of our Prcsi-
dent VIII challenge public attention and
continue 10 incite wide variance of
public comment His venture Is the
first in the history OF the country. While
both President Roosevelt and President
Taft departed from the territorial IulIs-
diction OF the United States during their
official terms. they did not make such an
L
ed upon They did not cross the At!autic
Ocean and land thcnselyes es upon disnnc-
lively foreign territory.
However. President Wilson has De
-crrnine-i to take this step. and the coun-
try Will have to put Up with It Il cannot
bc denied that hls action Is an innovation
Also. il may be said, II Will stand here
after as . precedent. No other President
evcr dreamed oi doing y hat Mr. Wilson is
now about 10 do But il NAV be added
ha; none Of Mr. Wilson's predecessors
in the Office of President ever had 10 face
such situation that nov confronts our
President.
There is no doubt that the representa-
tives OF the allied governments Of Eu-
rope, representing the countries that have
emerged from a successful contest at
arms with tie gigantic military machine
Of despotic Germany. desire Preadent
Wilson's personal presence at the Peace
{ 6oaference. He formally set before the
world, in advance Of the surrender Of
Germany, the principles for which the
world was fighting, and upon which the
foundations IL peace should be laid
They ue-e accepted generously by our
Allies, and nov they have asked hlm to
join them in conference TO carry them 10
Z CONCLUSION
And so, no matter what hair-sphtti1g
questions may be raised over President
Wilson's temporary absence from the
country, VIC may depend upon it that
they will not shatter the integrity Or
sound foundations Of our Republic The
country will go night along All the legiti-
mate functions Of government Will be
carried out And when President Wilson
returns and once more takes up the reins
Of government in his hands, things Will
go along as usual, and 50 FAR as external
evidences count We VI not know that
anything unusual has happened