The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-12-10
Pathetic Meeting Of
The President With
Chief Political Foe
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
CCopyr.sbt by Th- -ntelliSenccr)

Washington, Dec. 9.-Nthough this
has been an rveuttul week in the ma
tlonal capital with congress opening and
Prcxtdent-clect Harding delivering a
farewell address 10 his colleagues in the
sraat.. the most striking incident was
th,, al thct;c meeting ~ the White House
between president Wilson and his pout.
;c7u 90. Senator Henry Cabot Lodge "t
Massachusetts, the leader OF the Repuo-
!iCau oppo ;Itlon- ,,,
From chose who stood IN tn" Blue
room and saw framed IN tae nooFM"S WA,
the enfe ,bl'd hGurc Of the man VIZ"
JnCe thrii.~d the world with his worHS,
comes Il picture today u the writer thst
could not but mclt the bitterness OF pd'-
tisstnship and substitute conSoIli'S
sympathy In these last days oil th4
Wilson administration. 49,.
IL Is customary for congress on tne
day OF its opening tV scnd couiLnItt,I
Il the two houses 10 notsty the res
dent that ali is in readiness TO receive
any communication hr may have. Sena-
tors Lodge and Underwood and Repre-
spntativex Mcudeil. FUrdnsy and Champ
clark were appointed TO gG TO the w hIIe w
House for that purpose. They ~erC re-
ceived in the Blue room and stood IN
the center pf the room waiting Tor tue
door Of the Red room 10 be opened An
attendant stood beside the President as
the door SwuuE open. having supPoF SSu
him in the walk TO the door, but as tne
President entered the E,ue room Lean
Ing on his cane, tho attendant STOOD
aside.
Why He DID Not Shake Hands.
Thcrs has been misunderstanding
Of the hrnt words which tho President
spoke. "Yuu So. gentlemen, cannot
vet dispense with my third leg; Ihc
ilrst newspaper accounts referred TO the
fact that Mr.. Wilson did not snake
hands with his callers but failed 10 giNe
the reason for this unusual attitude;
The truth IS that Mr.. NLsoh "LSHs' ,Td'
MT shake hands with them as ne needCa
his right hand TO support himself on ms
cane. while his left hand has not recoS-
cred it's full vtSor. That was the rus-
As the President spoke, his head was
bowed. He did not stand with the SAM
ereCtneSs which have 50 often chaiHC-
terizcd his meetings with people ,mrnnd Ia cpd
downward His voice was not strong
bur IL was clear. His callers heard anc
understood every word spoken; The o.
casion called for formaltty and Mr. WI
would communicate message 70 con-
aress the next day. He used the Woro
scommunicate" ard did not say whetner
he would send his message 10 De read
BY clerk OF. would read Il nimseH ,o,,
All day Monday the President reIt
dispnsad TO 20 to congress In person.
Viz nhysician and advisers were against
n. And the truth Is that not until one
hour and half before congress met OF
Tuesday did the President yield. He
hoped TO the last to gather enough
strength to speak his farewell 10 coh-
gross.
Why was the President so eager 90
rAad his message? X was simply u"
give uttsrancs to something that Keeps
burning for expression-the faith he mas
in the riEhtness Of an ultimate partner
ship with other nations for the preser-
walton OF world peace. II was oecauisss
bs wanted 10 express face 10 race WIN
his opponents this personal paragraph.
the conclusion OF his message:
II have not so much laid before you
serIes Of recommendations gentlemen
rs sought 20 utter GonIeSs,on $50 hrsd St and and
which u is my solemn purpose to stand
by until my last fighting day l oeiieSe
tSis 70 be the faith OF America: the
faith Of the future. and or all the fIctTro
Says 10 come whether IN America Or
The foregoing Is Woodrow Wilson'S
valedictory to congress. lie may as sSe
statements but il was meant to be ms
answer 10 the election returns or iast
November. He clings stti TO the con-
yictIon that his cause will be VindicatSa:
Ue repeats again and again TO MS
friends an epigram which hc hrSt use"
aioht wears ago in the political cam
nairn. IT would rather fail in n cause
that I know some day will triumph than
- triumph in a cause that know some
day will fail"
Amid all the excitement OF the week
,ba ioy OF the Republicans and the earn
sSt %onefuiness which Warren Harding
dJspiayed in his parting speech 70 SdS me
go M the capitol where foes ana
friends alike realized that the spirit OF
Woodrow Wilson had not surrendered
syen though the gaunt figure IN tne
doorway gazed downward IN physicaA
defeat.