Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1920-02-19


70 - moee ~ ~ cue nan sver ~ Dsssy
safowasd incjdsnt that has haooeasd nay -
sxplaissd o. fhat basis. n his ssal ard -
stfs y ssrve th4 American peopis ~. WiIsoa
marked cut for himself task that No. phyM-
eally imposstbIe' more than the Creator Svsr
meant that single individual should d. The
length Of time that his iron will held him 70
his task and the great mass Of bis accomplish-
meats will be- the marvel Of future genesar
tions-not the merely human frailfies that he
displayed when his strength gave way. Nj.
Wilson always had been prodigious worker.
He never had found his limit and like nearly
everyone else who Is ambitious and has high
conception Of duty he failed to realise that
there are bounds beyond which the human ma
chine cannot be driven. Surely that D moth
ing to his discredit.
Mr.. Lawrence has gone far In disclosing
the evidences OF physical weakness which
do not constitute the true measure OF the man
or of his service to the country and to man
kind. History will pass lightly over this phase
OF the Wilson administration to deal at length
with the true worth of one whose real ability.
integrity and mastery craftsmanship will not
be dimmed by any shadows that so far have
been cast upon him.
1t may be that the presidents conception 4
the limitations that his cabinet members should
observe are extreme yet he is absolutely right
in the conviction tAat his advisors ought to
be in entire accord with him, at least in official
acts, or they should stand aside. 1t may be
that he is hard taskmaster, but men who do
not spare themselves are not in-the habit of
sparing others. If he does not care to accept
the counsel Of others, that is his affair. He and
not his cabinet was elected president and it is
he who always will be finally held to account
for the direction of governmental affairs and
the success or failure OF executive measures.
The Argus considers that Mr.. Lawrence has
taken q great deal for granted in some Of the
reflections he has cast upon the administration
in general 1t will hardly be disputed that Mr..
Wilson has had a heavier weight Of RESPONSE
bility laid upon his shoulders than any other
president, not even excepting Lincoln. Inevi-
tably the pressure Of business was passed
along to members Of the cabinet. Those who
consider the matter impartially will not be
uIoPVSCu W CuolAOu6c stdtclLlCuI IAldt JILL
cial standards have been fully upheld and ac-
complishments have compared favorably with
those of the best of preceding administrations,
none OF which ever faced problems of such
surprising magnitude. 1t must not be forgot
ten that this was the first time that any gov
eminent or any people ever was called upon
to avert world cataclysm.
History shows that in times of stress gov
ernments are most bitterly assailed. In Ameri-
can affairs blows are usually aimed at the ex-
ecutive through members Of the cabinet Dur
ing the. recent war emergency there were sew
eral we'll conceived and cleverly executed plots
Of this nature. One was intended to dscredit
Secretary Daniels, who quickly indicated him
self and proved one of the ablest heads the
navy department ever had. Id the early stages
of the war the opposition centered upon Sec
rotary Baker. He faced his accusers and drove
them to cover, and the war department under
his direction was equal to the most stupendous
emergency that it ever was called upon to meet.
Powerful interests which always had enjoyed
special favors at the hands Of the postoffice
from time to time have tried to put Postmaster
General Burleson in an unfavorable light as
punishment for his policy Of treating all pa
irons alike. but he stood their fire and con-
tinued to give the people a capable and bust.
nesslike administration and to make his de-
partment pay its own way.
The break between the president and his
secretary Of state of course is to be deplored.
People naturally wish to know the details ana
they are entitled to have them so that thew
may form their own just conclusions In doing
SO they should keep in mind the fact that Ae
episode is merely a personal incident the
weight Of which scarcely will register in the
scales OF time. On the other side of the &C
count is record of distinguished service to
mankind. rendered under extraordinary diff
culties to which history offers few, if any
parallels.