Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-29

multy said. In contrast to Mr.. Will
sons elf-proclaimed 4 passion for
peace" Secretary Tumuity declared
that when the challenge came from
Germany to America, when the
American mind was ready for .
this same Woodrow Wilson
became the most uncompromising
advocate of the most stringent meas
nres for conducting the war thereby
to have an end Of the war" The
speaker recalled the Presidents
speech to officers Of the Atlantic
feet in 1917. published long after, in
which he said II am willing to sac
rifice half the navy Great Britain
and we together have, to crush SUBJ
marine pests" ...-
1T was he," Secretary Tumulty
continued, who insisted on mining
the North Sea to cut off the German
hornets Experts said that
it could not be done. The civilian
Wilson said it could be done, must
be done. 1t was the civilian Will
son who preached the plan for COM
bining the allied powers in the west
under the supreme command of
General Foch in order that all the
allied forces could be concentrated
on the German forces to crush them.
I'm his mind the supreme object
of this war was to end war"
The grave fault which Secretary
Tumulty asserted he found with the
President, was his ignorance of "how
to play to the gallery"
He does not know how to capt.
talize his virtues for the front pages
Of the newspapers" he said. He is
dreadfully poor publicity material.
Human from his heart to his finger
tips, he does not know how to put
his humanity on exhibition.
LAS his friend and admirer, I have
loved him better because he didn't.
There was something too fine in his
nature for the dramatics and postum
ings Of the political game as it is
usually played"
The secretary told Of a journalist
who wished to have the president do
lone of the stunts that the public
dearly loved to read about" and of
the comment of the president.
He said to me: 'TumuIty, you must
realize that I am not built for these
things. I do not want to be dis
played before the public. If tried
to do it l would do 1t badly. / want
people to love me, but they never
will"
Il have never forgotten the wistful
tones in which he spoke those last
four words-'but they never WILL "
Secretary Tumulty said.
Two final pictures Mr.. Tumulty said
he desired to draw. the first. that of
the President in 1917. "a straight,
vigorous slender man, active and
alert
He is sixty years of age" he said,
but he looks not more than forty
five, SO 1.-THE Of limb, so alert of bear
ing. so virile. 1t is Woodrow Wilson
reading his greatest war message
THE other picture is only three and
half years later. There is a parade
of veterans of the Great War. They
are to be reviewed by the President
VII thO Gdot VI Tie w HltC
House. In a chair sits a man, your
President, broken in health, but still
alert in mind; his hair is white his
shoulders bowed, his figure bent. He
is sixty three years old. but he looks
older. 1t is Woodrow Wilson.
Presently in the procession there
appears an ambulance laden with
wounded soldiers, the MANNED and
the halt. AS they pass they salute,
slowly. reverently.
THE Presidents right hand goes
up in answering salute I glanced at
him. There were tears in his eyes.
The wounded is greeting the wounded !;
those in the ambulance. he in the
chair are alike, casualties of the
Great War.
Il don't believe in his heart Presi-
dent Wilson regrets his wounds. l
fancy he realizes no man could die
in a greater cause, but I do some
times wonder if it ever seems to him
strange that when a man has been
seriously wounded in his country's
service that he should be met with
Steers and calumnies from his
countrymen." . .-f ..t