Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-15
PRESIDENT WILSON
IS WILLING To RUN
AGAIN IF DRAF: TED
David Lawrence Discusses
His Possibility as a Third
,Tefmer and Sees Him as a
Candidate If Called
BY DAVID LAWRENCE

BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Downright, 1920, for The Atlanta Journal.)
WASHINGTON, D. c., April IL
An extraordinary. almost incredible
situation exists inside the Democratic
party with reference to the next.
presidential nominee. The true story
has been known to few. It has been
kept quiet for a number OF reasons.
It explains a multitude of inquiries
that have been puzzling the politi-
cal world, including the mysterious
silence of President Wilson himself
on a third term.
Here are the mains points, but
the relationship and significance OF
each to the other must be consld-
cred:
First, President Wilson directed
Secretary Tumulty to advise both
Attorney General Palmer and Former
Secretary William G. McAdoo on the
same day that he had no objection
to their candidacies--indeed, they
were quite agreeable to him.
Second, the president did not say
he would not be a candidate for
third term himself If the Demo
cratic party wished to draft him for
service. Once more not word on
this phase Of the matter was de-
1ivered bv Secretary Tumulty.
Third, neither Mr.. Palmer nor Mr..
McAdoo nor anybody in Washington
knows the presidents own purpose
| in respect to the Democratic presi-
Dental nomination. 1t was for a
long time suspectedS that Mr.. Nc
Adoo knew the presidents mind, but
he doesn't.
Fourth. although Mr.. McAdoo has
made several visits to the White
House in recent weeks, and has spent
the night there, he has not had the
opportunity to talk with President
Wilson,
Whether this is due to the presi-
dents desire TO remain absolutely
neutral in the presidential nomina ton
fight, in which his own son-in-1aw is
a receptive candidate, or whether 1t
| is due to Mr.. Wilson's unwillingness
to see anybody with whom he might
be tempted to "talk shop" on public
| business, when his physicians insist
| that his attention be given only. to
the most vital matters, is something
which is puZz1ing everybody.
1t is not unusual for guests at the
| dent, and the circumstance of Mr..
McAdoo's relationship is considered
| q plausible factor in the effort of the
| president not to appear to be APPROX
| ing or disappearing anybody's can
| didacy. Even though the treaty
ana League of Nations covenant have
| failed of ratification since the pres1-
| dent sent word that he did not OBJ
| ject to the candidacy of Palmer or
McAdoo, or others, there has been
no word from Mr.. Wilson to indi-
cate that he would like to be can
| didate himself.
! Nevertheless, after a careful in
| curry among friends of the president,
! persons who have followed the trend
Of Mr.. Wilson'S reasoning in politics
come convinced that President Will
son Cor a long time did not wish a
| third term, nor did he court the bur
dens of another campaign. Inc
| treaty, however, is dear to his heart'
| the League of Nations is, in his Judg-
nent, an ideal worth laying down MS
| life to achieve, and he, doesn't cor
| slider himself physically too weak
to indulge in championing the treaty
| before the American people
| What the outside world may thlnn
| of Mr.. Wilson's decline in health as
| affecting his availability for the
| Democratic nomination is one. thing
| and what the individual himself
| who looks forward hopefully to cary
| recovery NAV think of getting pach
with zest into the tight Tor me Dig
| gest thing in his Wnole career ~
| quite another.
So while the president does not OBJ
| ject to anybody else's candidacy and
| probably would not lift a. finger 10
! give the impression that he wanted
| the nomination himself, he has IN nv
| judgment simply decided to Keep
! himself available in the event that
! the Democratic party in convention
| assembled shall decide to draft MN.
| That is, while the president doesn
| say he will not accept the Demo
under any circumstances, crisis
| may arise, which in Mr.. wilson
opinion would brush away .precedents
| and customs about a third term ana
| call for heroic steps.
| The country may, in two months
| be in the throes of a domestic in
| dustrial disturbance or Europe, Judg-
! ing by the signs of dissolution II
| the Ruhr valley troubles, may be or
| the verge of bloodshed. To man
tions is the corrective force ana
| stabilize economic and political con-
| ditions throughout the world, the
| prospect Of serving the people once
| more is not looked upon as merely
| ILiS = C~IA@4Se~~-O-i ~ L" 49,
The president has kept his mind
| focused on the world situation, not
I on the things which have tended to
| bring sharp criticism on his do
mestic duties. There are many of
his intimate friends who are con-
fident that the president has no idea
that his own stock has fallen or that
his prestige has declined, and that
Democratic leaders who come to Wash
! ington insist that the Wilson load
| Is going to be a heavy one for any
candidate to bear in the next cam
pagn.
| Mr.. Wilson'S seclusion has been
! complete. 1t has been due to his
| Illness and the Gordon which has been
drawn about him, shutting out news
| and information about the state of
| affairs in the Democratic party. Mr..
! Wilson may want to remain avail
able for the Democratic nomination,
| but it is altogether doubtful whether
/ the delegates now being chosen to at
| tend that Democratic convention will
nominate Mr.. Wilson for a third
! term.
| Mr.. Wilson has kept his hands off
| too long to insure a denomination
through the spontaneous action of
| the convention, though White House
| influence always has been a last
minute factor in turning the scales
| heretofore in both Republican and
| Democratic conventions. ..-..