New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
Being President
Then and
Now
By Ralph Block

\nE PRESIDENT could not hide a lit
tie Of his fatigue from his New
- York audience q few weeks a9p
at the opening Of the Red Cross
drive. You see only a tired man seek
ing recreation" he told them. His words
recall the thousand pictures that patient
historian and biographers have provided
for another President, whose portraits
always carry with them some implica-
ton of a great WEAKNESS.
eff to be at the head Of Hell il ss
hard as what have to undergo here"
Lincoln once told General Schenck. ~
could find it in my heart to pity Satan
himself
Mr.. Wilson is rarely so frank as that.
Even in repose his face discloses most
of all kind of contented and quiet con-
fidence in the strength that lies back
of him. Perhaps it is his realization
OF the magnitude of American power.
Possibly it is an easier thing to lead
slowly into war and by meagre steps a
nation that can be given time for under
standing of what the war is for. What
ever it may be, the President of the
United States, wherever he appears, car
ries with him the air of man who
bears the delegated power of a people
who have risen through time to great
ness. In Lincoln's time that arrival
was thing for belief 1t was in process
of becoming; it had not yet arrived.
WALT WHITMAN, who is now a
name to us and an atmosphere.
was strangely enough in that day a hu-
man being among other human beings
He lived in Washington during part Of
the Civil War, near the Soldiers Home.
where the President had his summer resi-
dence. In his Note Book, under the
heading of August IL, 1864, he gives a
vivid account of Lincoln, as he saw him
coming and going. 1t interprets Lincoln
as only section of actuality can inter-
pret:
4 saw him this morning about $3.50, COM
ing into business, riding on Vermont Ave
nue., near L Street. He always has a COM
pany OF twenty-five or thirty cavalry. with
sabres drawn and held upright over their
shoulders. The party makes no great show
IN uniforms or horses. Mr.. Lincoln in the
saddle, generally rides good-sized, easy
gong gray horse, is dressed in plain black.
somewhat rusty and dusty; wears a black
stlf hat, and looks about as ordinary IN
attire, ETC.. as the commonest man. lieu
tenant, with yellow stripes, rides at his left
and following behind, two by two. come the
cavalrymen, i'll their yellow striped, Jackets.
They are generally going at slow trot "a
that is the pace set them by the One thew
Walt upon. The sabres and accoutrements
clank, and the entirely unornamental cor
tege as it trots toward Lafayette Square
arouses no sensation, only some curiou.
stranger stops and gazes. I see very plainly
Abraham Lincoln's dark brown face. with
the deep cut lines, the eyes etc. ALWAYS 10
me with latent sadness in the expression.
We have got so that we always exchange
bows, and very cordial ones
sometimes the President comes and goes
IN an open barouche. The cavalry ALWAYS
accompanies him, with drawn sa5res."
IT is different Washington now, as
= suredly in appearance 1t is not so
ragged, is more effective and has a
brightness of swift wheels that the war
machinery of the '60s lacked. We have
no lack for wealth, we are not yet under
hard pressure to the point of decreasing
"0oieii anu power. ana all this the
President of to-day reflects. Though Mr..
Wilson, it is accepted, leaves few deci-
slons to any one, he can leave practically
all of the execution of decisions to an
army of, organization as great or greater
than the armies in the field in the Civil
WAR And there is still greater differ
ence that pervades the very quality of
living to-day. 1t is organized That is
the essential thing about it.
1t can be, therefore, for all these rea-
sons-and aside from the fact that our
war is only year gone-a less troubled
President who rides now the streets of
Washington. Lincoln's barouchs gives
way to motor car, long, powerful car,
with the national seal on the tonneau
doors. There is ne cavalry guard-sol-
dlers are reserved for visiting great ones.
An undjstinguished car filed with Secret
Service men rolls along behind. And
when Mr.. Wilson presents himself for
public scrutiny it is with most scrupu-
ious attention to personal appearance.
he is what is generally called all over
these United States ''well dressed" 1t
is usually a suit Of some dark material,
finely fitted and carefully pressed. He
discards ceremony except for the occa-
sion, and wears dark, soft hat, with a
creased crown. His face is smooth and
ruddy. His figure is straight, has vi
tality and confidence in every line. The
hint of thinness of the early White House
years is gone, and the President discloses
something Of the physical development
that comes with mental and spiritual de-
velopment, self-discovery and the bring
ing into use of all his resources as an