Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-05-23
WILSON NAY 4vIRB@; FE49sBGGFD TO SEEK
Political Observers Believe He Would
Run Again Should Republicans
Defeat Treaty.

The Baltimore Suns correspondent
at Washington sends the following
letter from the Suns news bureau in
the National Capital
Whether President Wilson is mind
ed or could, by any combination of
circumstances. be pursuaded to be-
come candidate to succeed himself,
is easily the most interesting ques-
ton in Democratic politics or in the
whole field of American politics for
that matter.
And his early return from Paris.
coupled with the approach of a sessi-
on of Congress in which more politics
will be played than in any other in
generations, is being made the occa-
sion of renewed speculation as to the
Presidents purposes. on the one
hand, and the possibility of changing
such preconceptions, as he may have,
on the other.
incidentally, the discovery has been
made all over again that he had de-
clared weeks ago that he would not
be a candidate for a third term and
the fact that such a declaration was
made, is being made much of by the
discoveries. That he so expressed
himself shortly after his return from
Paris is quite well known and that
he minated as much in public
speech in Paris, is of course, mat
ter Oi record.
But by such limitations or state
ments the President does not neces-
sarily remove himself from the field
of a
lutely close the door against himself
If he had said the same thing over
and over again he would still have
the privilege Of changing his mind,
with changing conditions. and might
still feel himself under an obligation
to support and defend his policies, to
whatever length he might be called
upon to go, to that end.
In other words, the President is
not prescribed as thrd-term can
didate for the Presidency. and, al
though he himself may feel at this
moment that no conceivable thing
could induce him to go again upon
his party's ticket, there might be so
radical j change in both national and
International politics during the COM
ing year that he would be literally
forced to re-enter the arena in order
to safeguard the results which he has
achieved or to bring about results
which he sought to achieve and
which were defeated by partisan op-
position.
Let is be assumed, for example,
that the Republican majority in The
Senate either defeats the ratifica-
ton Of the treaty Of peace with Ger
many or so amends the league Of ma
tions plan as to make il a spineless,
Intellectual and totally useless :ns'ru-
mentality. And suppose il becomes
absolutely necessary for the Presi
dent to go straight to the American
pcope with his fight for The repudia
ton Of such action by the Senate.
and that the only possible means of
forcing the issue would be by chal
ienge TO The Whole Republican party.
n party which had nominated an
antileague candidate for the Presi-
dency--in such IN event as this,
Woodrow Wilson could not escape be-
ing the challenger. Not only would
party pressure and popular pressure
he vel. night irresistible. but his
own impulses wOuld drive him OH to
make the campaign, whatever might
lave been his earlier inclinations.
Because OF these facts. the Presi-
dents friends are not permitting any
body. not even Woodrow Wilson him
self, 20 put him finally out of the run
ming for third term. They are Will
ing to agree that the chances of his
running again are about 100 Ia l
against it, but they can all fOresee de.
vclOpmcnts which might make his
candidacy inevitable. There are
many Republican leaders. however,
who fOresee the same thing. and it
Is no secret that they lock upon that
possibility without enthusiasm. They
fully understand what powerful APP
peal he would be capable Of making
if he went before the country in an
effort to save his peace treaty and to
Gortify the league OF nations.
As for the abstract issue OF the
third-term, this would count no more
against the President. as a candidate
10 succeed himself than il did against
Colonel Roosevelt in the campaign OF
1912. a great cry was raised on this
score when Colonel Roosevelt ran up
on the Progressive ticket that year.
but ii was the cry Of the professional
politicians. There is not a fact or a
circumstance TO indicate that the
great body Of the American people
took the third-term issue seriously
or gave it more than a passing thoL