Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-02
Circulation Every 1OO0E
Evening Saturday AOAOO 1
MONDAY. DECEMBER 2, 1918.
The President TO Go Abroad.

Before this week Is at an end, in all
probability, President Wilson will be on
a warship of our navy, bound for Europe,
for the purpose of attending the Worlds
Peace Conference at Versailles. And he
will go rs delegate, not as an interested
spectator or honored guest His fellow
delegates will bc Secretary of State
Lansing, ex-AmbaSsador Henry White,
Colonel T. NJ House, the Presidents s
confidential friend. and General Taskcr
Secretary of War Baker will become ono
OF the American delegates, probably to
succeed President Wilson, who will not
remain at the Conference throughout
continue for several months But it IS
settled that he Will attend, and that he
will be an active, duly accredited partici-
pant.
Controversy IS till raging over not only
the propriety of the President leaving the
country during his official term. but OF the
legal effects Of his action. II IS contendcd
bv some that he VIII still remain President,
and that there will he no occasion for
Vice President Marshall vcnturing to
assume the duties Of the presidential
office On the other hand it is contended
that his absence from the country viii
create such vacancy in the Office as will
necessi tate the assumption Of its duties
by the Vice-President, as is provided for
in the Constitution IN the event Of the
resignation, death or disability Of the
President.
4 very prevalent opinion, and one that
is supported by such eminent legal
authority as the venerable ex-senator
George T. Edmunds, is that the President,
upon leaving the country, will for the
time beng surrender his executive powers,
and that It viii be the duty OF the Vice
President to carry on the government.
This seems sound and convincing, yet
there IS precedent 10 the contrary. Prc>l-
dent Roosevelt, when he left the country
TO view the Panama Canal, left his then
good personal friend, Secretary OF War
Taft 10 sit on the lid" during his absence,
never even suggesting that the Vice
President should assume the duties OF the
office during his absence.
There are few supporters oi the con
tention Of ex-Attorney- General Wicker
sham that the President by deliberately
leaving the country thereby creates 4
vacancy in tie Office OF President, which
must be filed by the Eice-President HIy
opinion is largely discounted by the fact
that he gave no such advice 10 President
Taft. in whose cabinet he was Attorney
General, when the President was away
during most Of the month OF November
1910, on q trip to the Panama Canal
Mr.. Wiekersham, after being brought K
book by reference to this very impo-tan
precedent, made public attempt to justify
himself by saying that President Taft die
not actually leave the country, that by
reason OF being Oh a government ship, anC
also on canal territory owned by on
government, he did not put himself out
side the territorial sovereignty of th'
United States.
This claim also is made II support o
President Wilson II IS held that by sail
ing on United States vessels, travelling b,
land on railroads and cars built and ownec
bv this country, and sojourning at Amen
can Embassies in foreign capitals, be wll
virtually keep within the bounds 0
United States territory and United State
jurisdiction legally considered, during al
his absence.
One contention may be as good a
another, but after ali, there Is little reasol
to get into fever heat over the matter
The President is going 70 attend tn
Peace Conference, and take part ln il
deliberations. In respect Of his ofhcla
duties, he will be, all the time-thank
10 wireless and cable in intimate con
tact with the scat of government d
Washington He may thus keep q ham
on all Official affairs, and perform, III
while lie is IN PARIS or London as thoug
be were IN his business Office at the v Int
House
Still the opinion viii largely prcvaI
that by going to foreign countries Press
dent Wilson has created such q temporar
vacancy N the office Of President as wi
necessitate Vice-President Marshall as
Stunning the duties Of the office Of Presi
dent, as ex-senator Edmunds says, I
carry on the government Every Evening
az is we'll known did not from the frs
favor the suggestion OF the Preslden
going abroad, even for such grave pun
pose as taking part in the conferences fo
arranging terms of pe.ce following q va
in which he was 50 prominent, but th
step has been decided upon, and no r