New-York tribune., 1918-12-03

editorial comment i'll New York
morning newspapers was unanimous in
deplorlng the reticencc of the Presi-
dents speech and almost entirely in
agreement in its hostility to his pro-
posed trip. Even "The World' and
"The Times supporters of the Admin
istration. give him no full measure Of
approval. "Thc World" says that only
"The Times" regrets that he has not
taken Congress into his confidence. Ex-
cerpts from the editorials say:
"THE WORLD"
"Those who looked for an elaboration
of his reasons for attending the Peace
Conference in Pres dent Wilson's an
nual address to Congress yesterday
were disappointed, of course. In the
nature of things, the stronger his con-
viction that his presence in Paris is
necessary the less he could say about
it publicly.
"When the President of the United
States. acting within constitutional
limitations. refers to any act of his as
without private thought or purpose but
as his highest duty, it is to be supposed
that he is governed by weighty con-
sldera lions as to the outcome of which
THE TIMES"
"Specifcally, they the American peo-
ple) have practically no knowledge Of
what he intends to say in respect to
the freedom of the seas and the league
of nations; they are quite ignorant of
the measures he will recommend for
deliverance and safety of the Russian
people, where the need of immediate
action is imperative, and they are quite
as much in the dark as to his purposes
concerning certain questions Of terri
toral apportionments in Europe which
are becoming acute. 1t will be admit
ted that with all our sudden and ideal
istic devotion to open diplomacy, it
might have been neXpedient to open all
these matters to public discussion, but
for all the people know Mr.. Wilson
has made UP his mind upon these
weighty matters without resort to the
counsel of other minds. They trust
dom, but they would be we'll pleased
to feel that the decisions he has
reached had been shared in and ap-
proved by other Americans of eight
and leading" we'll qualified to give ad-
vice upon these complex international
problems"
THE SUN"
"All other features of the address,
considered as an annual message by the
President to the Congress on the state
OF the Union, fade into comparative
nsignificance beside this unparalleled
assumption of almost autocratic pow
ers. Since our national history began
there has been nothing like the theory
of Presidents powers and duties here
by him disclosed His departure under
such circumstances, and with so bold &
defiance of the prevailing sentiment of
the country so recently expressed at
his own invitation in the recent Con-
gress elections, creates the most i'm
portant issue and raises the greatest
question now before the American Re-
public namely, the question as to who
is legally the Republics President now
that Mr.. Wilson is sailing away on the
George Washington on a mission un
known to our Constitution and laws"
THE HERALD"
"What Congress wanted to hear was
the why of the visit TO Europe. 1t
heard about what it had heard before.
The President said that the Allied
governments had asked him to attend
clear the meaning Of his fourteen
points, and he felt. therefore, that
he should go. He failed, however, to
give his reasons for objecting to the
Vice President performing the duties
that would seem clearly to devove
upon that official during the period
when the President is unable to per-
form them.
$50 the attitude Of Mr.. Wilson tow
ard Mr.. Thomas Riley Marshall re-
mains as great mystery as ever