Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-09-24
PAIL OVER TOUR
OF THE PRESIDENT
Two Members of Party Killed
Near Portland, Ore.
AUTOMOBILES IN COLLISION
James r. Patterson, Owner of Car,
and Ben. F. Allen, Washington
Newspaper Man. Are Victims
Two Others Injured.

Portland. Ore, Sept. 16.-Driven at
breakneck speed along the Columbia
highway. II miles from here, an auto
mobile bearing three of the Washing
ton newspaper correspondents accom-
panying President Wilson's party left
the road, turned turtle ON an incline
and left two dead and three injured
men in its wake.
Ben. f. Allen, for 10 years the
Washington correspondent of the
Cleveland Plain Dealer, was instantly
killed, as was James r. Patterson, sew
enty-three years old, the owner and
driver of the car.
The injured were Robert T. Small,
Washington correspondent of the Phil
adelphia Public Ledger; Stanley NJ.
Reynolds, Washington correspondent
of the Baltimore Sun, and Arthur ID.
Sullivan, a reporter for the Portland
News. Both Mr.. Small and Mr. Rey-
nolds viii recover.
The tragedy cast a pail over the en-
tire presidential party and the presi-
dent made only short address here
this noon and this evening.
Arrangements Poor.
For the first time on the trip the
presidential party met poor arrange
ments here.
The pilot car which guided the par
ty 80 miles from here to Crown Point.
a site which gives an extensive view
of the Columbia river, hit up a pace
that Appropriated 40 miles an hour at
times and members of the presidents
party were fearful for his safety.
The road in spots is very narrow and
over steep hills and inclines, and for
this reason the drivers were cautioned
to preserve a slow rate of speed.
The accident occurred shortly after
the president left the Multnomah coun-
ty fair grounds near the town of
Gresham and this is why it happened:
In every town where the president
has spoken. local committees have ar
ranged an automobile procession in adj
vance for his party and all persons on
the special train are assigned to a GER
tain numbered car in each town. In
car number seven were Messrs Allen,
Small, Reynolds and David Lawrence,
the Washington correspondent of the
New York Evening Post. When they
approached number seven car here,
they found that the majority of its
seats were taken by local townspeOple.
Mr.. Lawrence decided not TO go on the
drive. while Allen, Small and Reynolds
sought another motor and obtained
seats in No. IS in the procession.
On the return from Crown Point,
Patterson's car had some engine trou-
BILE and was slightly delayed. When
repairs were made he attempted to re-
gain his place in line and speeded up.
The motor, a large, seven passenger
car had a clear roadway for time,
but meanwhile other motorists anxious
to glide out from cross roads to trail
the president had edged in. One of
these was C. H. Barnett and it stalled
in the middle of the highway. Pat
terson tried to avoid collision but his
car YVES travelling at such high rate
Of speed that it left the road.
was Patterson. The three other men
were in the rear seat and were thrown
clear of the car. which after turning
turtle, righted itself on the road
President in Friendly Territory.
President Wilson was in friendly
territory here. There was nothing Of
the "hlue Monday" evident in the re-
ceptior that the people of this city
gave him. both at his appearance on
the streets here at nine o'clock In the
morning. when he spoke at luncheon
and again at night in his address at
the Auditorium.
Two short but peppery addresses
were made by the president as a re-
suit of the warm greetings. He again
reiterated that he had not the slight
est Coubt that the treaty ultimately
Will be ratified by the senate.
In all of his addresses he empha-
sized the fact that until the treaty was
out of the way there could be no hope
of normal conditions prevailing in the
world.
He made a direct bid to the reser-
vationists in the United States senate
70 come to his aid in order that peace
might be ratified Immediately.
81 call upon them-the honest men,
the sincere men--to stand with me and
fulfill the hopes and traditions of the
United States"
There was no diminution Of the fight
ing spirit, though he said his goal was
peace-peace protected by a League
of Natiops.
The president used his non-political
argument for the treaty and drove
home his point with these words:
'Tf anyone thinks of thi, treaty with
the 1920 elections in mind. want to
declare 1 separate myself from him"
With some of the men criticizing
the treaty the president said his con-
test with them was "a contest of in
terpretation." He had respect for
these men. he said, "fOr they are just
as good Americans as am" But con-
corning some of the other opponents
of the treaty. the president said: II
haven't any respect at all for them"