Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-11-28
ADVISES Mr.. WILSON
TO REMAIN AT HOME
CONTINUED from Page g.


is the presidency of the United States
until the 4th of March, 1921. There
is no ambiguity in this provision and
it is not open to varied Interpretation.
as may be alleged as to some sections
and words Of the Constitution. The
question. therefore, is whether you
intend to act in a way that will Gre
ate an inability to discharge the
powers and duties Of said Office OF
President.
Il take for granted that you do not
wish to ignore the Constitution which
you have taken the most solemn oath
under the most solemn circumstances
TO preserve, protect and Defend and
certainly the President Of the United
States must be the last man in the
country to permit any straining or
nisconstruction of it's plain language.
There can be no question that while
you are upon the ocean you cannot
discharge any of the duties to citi-
zens who cannot possibly reach you.
There are many occasions arising
daily when your presence at the seat
Of government is absolutely neces-
sary to your performance Of your
duties. One, however. of paramount
necessity, is sufficient to show this
fact. The second paragraph of the
seventh section of Article 1 is as fol-
lows:
Every bill which shall have
passed the House Of Representatives
and the Senate shall before it be-
comes a law, be presented to the
President of the United States. If he
approves he shall sign it, but if not
he shall return it with his objections
= If any bill shall not be re-
turned by the President within ten
days after it shall have been present
ed 20 him the same shall be law in
like manner as if he had signed it,
This provision renders the limit of
ten days Sunday excepted) from the
presentation of the act of Congress to
you and IFS return by YOU imperative.
An act of Congress must be signed
by the Speaker of the House and pre-
siding officer of the Senate, and pre-
scented with such signatures. Wiring
the contents or cabling the words
cannot be substituted for the direct
delivery of the document into your
hands, nor can a wireless message or
cablegram constitute its return to the
House in which the bill originated
within the ten days prescribed. Your
absence then clearly creates a condi-
ton of your inability to discharge
the powers and duties of your office,
and the Vice President will at once
ba in MI
"One reason for not providing for
the temporary performance of presi-
Dental duties by Vice President, no
doubt, was that, when the Constitu-
ton was adopted the Vice President
was always the second choice for the
Presidency, and man chosen for the
Presidency itself by at least. the
minority of the electors was avail
able. This constitutional bar to your
leaving the country is, Of course, suf-
ficient; but you cannot be indifferent
to the evident objection on other
grounds widely stated in the press of
the country.
Rightly or wrongly, you have not
been in accord with the sentiments of
the people at large in the subject of
the proper relation of the United
States to the great war. The people
have never been too proud to fight.
They have never desired peace with
out victory They did not approve
Of your extending in their name and
in that of the Government congratu-
lations to the Kaiser on his birthday
during the period of the worst out
RACES of the war. They have always
been deeply concerned, as to the
causes and objects Of the war; and
they expressed no doubtful feelings
when you did not favor unconditional
surrender.
These quoted statements natural
ly lead to doubts as to the position
that might be taken under your in
fluence at the conference, and it will
be most unfortunate If any lack of
harmony should exist in adjusting the
claims of the Allies, who have borne
the great burden Of the war for our
sakes as well as for their own.
THANK God we came to their res
cue aefore it was too late, and all
gratitude and thanks to you are free
ly felt and extended, since You &C
guessed in the necessity of our coun-
try's aid being given to save the civil
lization Of the world. In this the peo-
pie of the United States. have given
magnificent evidence of their ap-
prevail and willingness to make every
sacrifice in the great cause.
Very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
John Cadwalader.
Philadelphia, November %, 1913.