New-York tribune., 1918-11-19
New York Papers Comment on
Wilson's Plan to Go Abroad

"The World expresses the opinion
editorally this morning that President
Wilson erred in deciding to go abroad
for the peace conference. "Thc New
York Herald" inclines to the opinion
that the cable will suffice for all the
Presidents home duties while he is
abroad, and, if it should not, Vice
President Marshall can attend to them
Excerpts from editorials published
this morning follow: ,,.-
The World
The announced determination Of
the President to go abroad for the
peace conference viii be generally re-
GREETED throughout the country. That
he should go as an equal participant
IN the conference with the delegates
from other countries has clearly been
given up, and for obvious reasons The
evident purpose Is to place himself in
position where his views can the
more readily be impressed upon the
conference, whether in +he shaping Of
It's peace treaties or in forwarding his
+ own cherished ideal of a league of ma
tions.
We cannot but feel that the Presi-
dent is making a grave mistake from
any point Of view in deciding finally
TO remove himself so far from the seat
OF the government he is charged with
administering, in still critical or
crowded time, for purposes which can
petter b. served where he
The New York Herald
! At the same time eminent person.
ages at Washington who scout the idea
OF the Presidents 'inablity to perform
the duties" of his Office when he is in
: the heart of Europe contend that he
could easily conduct the duties of the
Presidency by cable. This conflict of
ideas over the efficacy of cable com
municatlon- working all right for the
signing of bills and for the protection
+ of the citizen in his right to life, but
not working for the purposes of con-
what battling.
SO, also, is the apparent indispos-
tion on the part Of some factors in the
Administration to contemplate with
equanimity the possibility of Thomas
Riley Marshall succeeding to the duties
and the powers and the privileges
of the Presidency. 1t is difficult to un-
derstand why this indisposition should
obtain when it is we'll known that the
ice-President en- Joys in the highest de
gree the confidence of the President
and is, as he should be, on terms of
closest intimacy with the Presidents s
whole official household.
The Times
President Wilson will attend the
peace conference, and with all the fer
vor Of Horace praying for the safety
of Virgil in his not overperilous
voyage to the bounds of Attica. VIC
shall bespeak for him every favoring
circumstance of sea and sky and ali
good fortune Of honors and wclcom-
lngs, and in the great council of the
nations q potent influence in Shaping
the greater outlines of the final
treaty" Even though it regret his
decision, the country will understand
that he can best judge of the need of
his going.
He will be the first President of the
United States to pass from under the
folds of its flag to lands beyond the
Federal jurisdiction. The precedent he
sets aside Is but one of many that war
has brushed away-old custom yielding
TO new needs and established usage to
present expedency. The American peo-
pie will heed all that but little when
they read Of the ceremonial greetings
and honors that will be accorded to him
by the chief men and the people of the
nations to whose cause his profound
insight, his clear understanding of
moral principle, his gift Of utterancc
and his eloquence in the defence of
human rights have rendered such price
less service.