Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-27

source of some apprehension to
his friends, who wondered if he
could stand the added strain. In
Paris, he was at work day and
night, and caught cold while in a
conference with Prime Minister
Lloyd George and Premier Glenn
enceau. This developed into infiu-
enza, from which, as DR.. Grayson
covered entirely
Health Delayed Trip.
It is true, there were many rea-
sons for postponing the presidents
trip across the continent in behalf
Of the Lea que of Nations, which
had been planned to begin immedi-
ately after his return from Europe,
but even if he could have finished
sooner those conferences with in
dividual senators, his physician
would probably have held him in
Washington, as he was beginning
then to show signs of a collapse.
But the presidents recuperative
powers have on more than one
occasion been a pleasant surprise
to those who have worried about
his health, and when he insisted
on making his tour for the League
of Nations, consent was given on
the condition that he would not
make an extensive trip and that
he would rest on Week-ends. 1t
was suggested that he rest in yell
lowstone park or Rainier park or in
the Yosemite, but to all sugges-
tons the president grimIy objected,
saying he was not bent on a pleas
IRE jaunt but a business trip.
Always Kept Busy.
Even his Sundays were not kept
free. Local committees insisted on
seeing him. Everywhere along the
journey requests for labor confer
ences have been made. and the re-
suit was that Mr.. Wilson got very
little rest, even on Sundays. All
day long and all night crowds
would gather at the passing sta
tons and cheer. If the train stop
ped to take water or change loco
motives, it was pretty certain that
the presidents rest would be dis
turbed at night, while during the
day he would go out on the rear
platform to shake hands. The peo-
pie insisted on seeing him. His
physician would not permit him to
make any but scheduled speeches
Between stations, the president
worked away on his typewriter on
official business. Much of his time
was spent in studying cables from
Frank Polk, head of the American
peace mission negotiating treaties
with Austria and Bulgaria. Lately
the situation at Fiume has given
him much concern.
Speeches Greatest Burden.
But the greatest burden of all
has been the extemporaneous
speeches. Instead of stretching his
trip out to eight weeks and cover
ing 10000 miles as other presidents
have done, Mr.. Wilson sought to
accomplish his purpose in four
weeks. He spoke extemporaneous-
ly everywhere, 40 times in 81 days.
He would prepare notes on the
train. On Thursday night he had
mapped out the speeches he
planned to deliver in Wichita, Little
Rock, Oklahoma City, Memphis and
Louisville. But ever since his ap-
pearance in San Francisco, he has
been i'll and has coughed heavily
and spent sleepless nights. Mrs.
Wilson, who is a trained nurse, has
constantly attended him and the
effect of her vigils of the last 10
days have seemed to tell on her,
too.
Orders Trip Cancelled.
DR.. Grayson was summoned twice
after midnight Thursday. On the
second occasion, about o'clock
Friday morning, he sent a messen-
ger to arouse Secretary Tumulty
who was asleep in the next car.
He told the secretary the trip would
have to be cancelled, that the presi-
dent had gone too far and would
have to detach himself completely
from his work. The president in
sisted that he would be well enough
in a day or so and pleaded for the
opportunity to fulfill his engage
ment, but Mrs. Wilson and DR..
Grayson and Secretary Tumulty
overruled him and the trip was
summarily cancelled.
Consultation aboard the train on
Friday led to a decision not to stop
off enroute. but to get the president
to the White house as soon as pos
sible and decide then whether he
should go to some quiet spot in
the seashore or mountains. It may
be that in Washington other physi-
clans will be called by DR.. Grayson
as a measure of precaution and the
extent Of the presidents exhaus-
ton fully determined, but that the
president must give up all work for
the present is the command Of his
physician.
Near Actual Collapse.
The presidents trouble is de-
scribed technically as nervous ex-
haustion, but there are several
things that contribute to it First
there is a cough which is the after
effect of influenza and this has af-
fected somewhat the presidents
His digestive organs |
have been hurt by the constant !
strain of his work. Altogether, it |
has slowly taken away a large part |
of the presidents vitality. And |
when the doctor observed him
twitching and hating in speech
which, by the way, was noticed by |
the correspondents too. in the last |
few speeches-it was apparent that |
Mr.. Wilson was physically near the |
end of his rope.
It is difficult to describe the in
tensity of the presidents feeling |
about the peace treaty. He thinks |