The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-20

Democratic conservatives, the Demo-
Gratis Of the Southern States. Mr..
WILSON must actually be included
among them. He has never dis
simulated the aversion inspired IN
him by the demagogic compliances OF
his political associate BRYAN"
Mr.. HALEvY goes on to consider why
there are a Republican party and a
Democratic party and why they are
"irreducibly opposed" He thinks they
exist because at some former time
! they had reason to exist" and they
have become "veritable institutions"
But has this made the distinction
clear to the French mind? All, we
have it now:
these two parties have been COM
pared TO the two great Partisan
stores. the Louvre and tho Bon
Marcht. Both have the same func-
ton Of supplying household goods.
They rival each other in making Of
fers-e each one cheaper and more at
tractive than the other. There are
tho floating customers. who give their
patronage to one or the other accord
ing to tho fascination of the service
offered. The comparison IL not in
exact. A French reader will do we'll
to nx II In his memory II ne wishes
to rid himself of the embarrassment
of attaching too clear and sharp q
meaning to words worn by much
usage"
AS to the functions Of the Presi-
dency, Mr.. HALfvY, commenting on
one of Mr.. WILSON'S utterances, made
when he took the posture that both
sides were wrong in the European
war, says:
I'VE must never forget, however. u.
that the Presidency OF the Republic
Of tho United States Is an office which
makes its occupant partly a popular
magistrate, partly dictator. To
hold the Office well a man must be
both one and the other. an ardent
orator, a cold and resolute admins
traitor. The tribune shines on sthe
platform, the dictator In action. The
Office is difficult, and IL President
WILSON is himself hard to under
stand 1t is because he comprehends
very we'll the nature OF his duties.
Sometimes passionate oratory over
whems him, as in the present case.
But the dictator does not sleep"
Mr.. HALEvY appears to realize that
French readers may be puzzled by
other speeches of the American Presi-
dent; for instance. the one delivered
at the funeral Of the sailors who we're
killed at Vera Cruz, in which Mr.
WILSON declared, II fancy it Is just
as hard to do your duty when men are
sneering at you as when they are
shooting at you" Mr.. HALEyy COM
ments: 1T may be thought that a
funeral address is not the best means
Of upholding oneself, or of entering
into comparison with the heroes
whose memories are being exalted
But let that pass" The author con-
siders another phase Of Presidential
psychology:
This public man Is a very soil
tary man. To say the truth
his one great strength is the assent
OF the crowd which has elected him.
listens to his messages and appeals,
and which helps him to curb the
politicians by reason OF the fear with
which It inspires them. This Is the
constant occupation OF his thought.
II the President lives alone.
IL he keeps the doors of the White
House closed, the reason is undoubt-
eddy TO be found in his desire that
the people may not suspect him OF
intimacy with the leaders Of finance,
the Magnates. to give them their
American name. They ask for inter-
views in vain. The President evades
or refuses their requests. 1t is a
principle and an attitude which he
clings TO with an increasing vigor--
sometimes with harm to the general
service"
Throughout the book there is the
same painstaking effort to make plain
to the French people the things they
cannot understand about American
politicians and politics and places.
The wicked politicians of New Jer-
sey whom Governor WILSON defeated
were grouped in what the French call
"cavernes"; perhaps rings" would be
the best American retranslation. An
American university Is like an In
dustrial trust; in this case Princeton
had serious need of being taken in
hand" Milwaukee, "a name unknown
in France" is as big as Lyons, Mr..
HALEvY explains. The United States
Is an immense nation of mixed race
--"illiterates, streaked with Gala
brian. Syrian and Croat blood" Surely
Mr.. HALEvY should have opened the
door wide enough to let In few Of
English, Irish and Scotch blood. But
he can be forgiven such lapses for
his comparison Of the political par
ties with the great department stores
of Paris. He might have explained