Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-09-05
WILSON PLEA
GRIPS HEART
OF AUDIENCE
Cool and Apathetic at
Start, People Respond
to Truths Appeal.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Copyright. 1919, by The Argus.)

NSOpg IL 1O4Og Wy L 4C al AO'J
St. Louis, Mo, Sept. 5.-President
Wilson comes as a stranger from
afar. His first audiences are cool,
awestruck and even apathetic to-
ward the gospel he breaches
when he begins. But gradually the
president touches the heart
springs of American patriotism
and emotion-and brings down the
house. Street crowds are unen-
thusiastic, a hand-clapping group
here and there, occasionally
cheer-so rare as to be conspicu-
ous-and Mr.. Wilson proceeds
down the main thoroughfores of
the city a respected magistrate of
the people with an austerity and
dignity that begets solemnity, not
joy.
Out in Ohio which helped re-
elect Wilson in 1916, though every
state hereabouts voted the other
way, one might have expected a
joyous welcome. But to any one
who saw the cheering throngs on
the Champs d Elysee in Paris or
even the demonstrations of the
undemonstrative British or the ia
naucaI enthusiasm of the emotion
al Italians, the reception at Colum-
bus was a painful anti-climax.
Here was the man who had come
back from overseas after represent
ing the United States in the most
momentous conference ever held
between governments. But there
was nothing triumphal or heroic
about the presidents journey down
20 10
more attention in that very city
seven years ago as an unknown
candidate.
Reasons for Goodness.
To be fair one must note certain
things. The street cars were at
standstill. A strike, said to have
been called chiefly to impress Mr..
Wilson with the restiveness of
labor had tied up traffic. And be-
sides, it was drizzling. This COM
bination of circumstances made
Mr.. Wilson's visit about as well
come as a dinner guest when the
cook had left. Also, folks here
abouts according to local news
papermen are worried about the
cost of living. They would have
liked to hear Mr.. Wilson denounce
the profiteers and tell them how he
expects prices to be reduced. And
if, as the president has hitherto
claimed, the delay in ratifying the
treaty is affecting the prices of
commodities in the United States,
his audiences would have pre-
ferred to hear him on that phase
of their domestic ills. The presi-
dent told the correspondents after
wards that he expected to discuss
this in future speeches.
First Not ~KeynOte Speech
Mr.. Wilson's first utterance Incl
dentally is not to be taken as the
proverbial keynote. He didn't
cover all the subjects with which
he plans to deal He will develop
his ideas as he goes along suiting
the speech to the occasion as the
spirit moves him. All his speeches
are extemporaneous. That is a
tremendous strain. For in his eff
fort at Columbus to make a COM
prehensive survey of so vast a sub
ject as the peace treaty the presi-
dent touched only superfciaIly on a
number of things. But while he
did not go into details, he did ex-
press himself in simple enough
fashion to convey his points con-
vincingly.
His Views Accepted.
If Interruptions of applause
mean anything, then Mr.. Wilson's
audience at Columbus not only
seemed to accept his doctrines but
to exhibit faith in the man who
was exhorting them anew to fol-
low his leadership. Again and
again, the president failed to ex-
plain why the people should ac-
cept his view rather than the view
of the treaty opponents, but in
sisted that the people ought to
read the treaty and see for them
selves and if they did not read it, |
then they should accept the inter
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