The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-10-17
THE MYSTERY AT WASHINGTON.

The MYSTERY al WASdING1ON.
There is no doubt whatever that the presl-
dent of the United States is seriously sick, that
The is temporarily incapaciated to perform ON
cial duties and may never be able to resume ms
work. This is not admitted by DR.. Grayson,
Mr. Wilson's personal medical man. but rumors
10 this effect have been prevalent in Washing
ton ever since the speaking tour was interrupt
ed, and letter known to have been written by
Senator Moses, of New Hampshire, declares
that Mr. Wilson suffered some kind of a cere-
bral lesion either during or Immediately after
his speech at Pueblo, a slight facial paralysis
being one of the visible results. 1t appears also
that he suffered from retinal he1norrhage while
at the peace conference and noted American
expert was hastily summoned to Paris to give
him relief Speculation concerning the deVoiu-
ton of his duties on the vice president is active
in Washington and elsewhere throughout the
country The people are by right entitled to
know exactly as TO. the mental and physical
condition of the president. In the view OF the
Chicago Tribune, the men about the president
act as if they in the suite OF an emperor
They need a douche of cold common sense. The
5Eubbub thew are making because the press and
uublic are anxious to know what is the nature
of the presidents illness makes a ridiculous
show of them Ii rrmors and conJectures flour
.ish it is only because lack of candor and COM
pleteness have characterized official statements.
The public has the right to both, for Mr.. VII
son is neither private citizen nor the dalai
lama He is the chief executive OF the Amerl-
can republic, our highest official upon whom
rests responsibilities Of the greatest moment 10
the nation. Whether he is ut to meet these re-
sponsbilities now or later is pubic question
which no medico has a right to cover with pro-
{c4n rnr1f M
Dercurn is a piece of impertinence and the
quicker he and all others about the president
wake ND to the situation and their duty to the
public the better for all concerned. With all
their protests. their denials and carefully phras
ed bulletins, they have not yet told what Tue
trouble with the president is.
Everyone is sympathetic with the affllctlons
of the chief magistrate and all hope for the.
best: for it is one of the sad things in life to see
a vigorous mentality impaired, or III danger OF
impairment, and an illustrious career cut snort.
DIR. Paul Reinsch, our recently resigned am
bassador to China. says that the Chinese have
a means Of putting compelling pressure on Japan
to restore political autonomy to Shantung and
that thew are exerting it, The means is the
boycott on japanese goods. Here is something
japan is powerless to prevent. she can Wlthln
the limit of her actual control OF territory co
cree the people to buy of her. But this market
is of trifling worth in comparison with the mar
ket furnished by China at large. me Chlnese
are not buving japanese goods; furthermore,
they are quietly encouraging the import OF for
eign commodities from sources that have never
before contributed to Chinese trade DR..
Reihsch says that Japan realizes the menace in
volved and that she will act soon to avoid al
trade rupture with China too open to be amlc-
ably adjusted.
There is always something to worry woman.
She used to be afraid her husband would fall
off the water wagon, and now she is afraid he /!
will fall down somebody cellar
What quiet world this would be it none but
those who understood talked about the league
IF nations
Japan may lead the Chinese horse to its .