The Washington times., 1919-12-06
PRESIDENTS GAIN
CALMING UNREST
Concrete Evidence Of His Men
tai and Physical Capacity
Restores Confidence.
by WILLIAM PHILIP SIMMS,
I. n. 8. stan Correspondent.

President Woodrow Wilson's come
back" as the dramatic sick-room
coup at the White House has come to
be called here, will go a long way
towards calming the industrial and
social unrest raging and on the in
crease throughout the country during
the past few mopths.
This is the beffef Of the thinking
men of all parties here, expressed in
a single paragraph.
The Republican leaders who forced
the issue. and demanded the appoint
ment of committee of two composed
Of Senator's Fall and Hitchcock to
call upon the President and obtain
his views on the Mexican situation,
performed a real service to the ma
rion, it is generally, conceded and
the prompt reply from President Will
SON granting an Immediate confer
ence In his bed chamber put the fin
ishing touches to that service.
Clique Reported In Control.
Advantageous had been reaching
Washington for some time that there
was uneasiness everywhere on ac-
count of not knowing just what was
going on in Washington.
The impression was, undoubtedly,
growing in the country that a clique
about the President was running
things: that he was a very sick man,
much sickerN than his encourage dared
even intimate; and that while he re-
posed on his sickbed. protected
against the visits of even his Cabi-
net officers. coterie was govern
ing" in his name.
1t was openly stated by some that
the Chief Executive haA not been in
formed on even the most pressing at
fairs of state, that documents bearing
his signature were not his work, but
rather the work of this or that per-
son belonging to his official house
hold.
Inflamed Mexican Crisis.
The Mexican crisis was more seri-
Gus than otherwise 1t might have
been, according to many because the
Carranza government is understood
to have been led to believe that the
President was in ignorance of the
Jenkins affair, and the quarrel over
his case with Mexico. and that the
United States could not call. what the
Carranzistas believed. a bluff. With
out the Presidents knowledge and
consent.
The social and industrial unrest, it
is believed-was increased, fed by
these reports Labor is known to
have grown suspicious OF, the Govern
ment. and many leaders declared
openly disbelief in the Presidents =
knowledge Of certain acts leveIcd
against them. Puzzled and suspicious,
large element in the country. got
into the way of thinking the Gov
ernment without a real head.
The President by his action in
granting an immediate interview to
the Senatorial Committe appointed to
wait upon him and hear his opinion
on certain topics. has at a blow, il is
believed, killed all rumors and re-
ports as to his condition.
Fall Statement Commended.
Statesmen here generally praise
Senator Fall for his quick admission
of his utter confidence in the ability
Of his old political enemy to handle,
not only the Mexican crisis, but any
other situation which might be
brought to his attention. The Sena-
tors pronouncement that the Presi-
dent. though physically weak as the
result of his long illness. was sur
prisingly and perfectly alert mental
ly. was the finishing stroke In the
restoration Of public confidence in
the domestic situation, and even his
sharpest critics are forced to credit
him with that.