The Coconino sun., 1920-06-25
GOVERNMENT BY HYSTERIA


 Successive waves of hysterical sentiment on one subject after another" is given by prom inent New York periodical as an important cause of high prices. Why shouldn't there be waves of hysteria, when we have had government by hysteria for the past seven years? When Presi- dent Wilson took charge of national affairs in 1913 he appointed nine cabinet officers not one of whom had any particular knowledge of the du- ties of his department With one exception those who remained any length of time were in- competent and naturally established government by hysteria In this they were following the lead of the president himself Elected on platform promising that no injury should come to any le- gitimate industry, the president insisted upon legislation that would close American mills, and when business men went to the capital to pro- test, he threatened to "hang them higher than Haman." That was the beginning of hysteria.
 After having been pledged to free tolls for American coastwise shipping through the Pan anna canal, MT. Wilson received some mysterious communication from some foreign country and had another fit of hysteria which caused him to send an urgent message to congress asking re- peal of the free tolls provision, asserting that un- less congress granted him this in "ungrudging measure" he would not know how to proceed in vital diplomatic matters. The cause for this hys- terical proceeding has never been disclosed.
 Dealings with the government of Mexico were characterized by hysteria, manifested in orders pldCl1Y eIlDdTSOeS upon arms raising enlDar- goes, sending troops and withdrawing them with nothing accomplished, recognizing first one fac tion and then another, promising American citi- zens protection and then advising them to get out of the country to which they had gone under the protection of treaties.
 For many months after the outbreak of the war in Europe, and after the sinking of the Lusi- tania, President Wilson. denounced the advocates of preparedness but when he finally became aware of actual conditions, he declared hysteric- ally that "the world is on fire" and proceeded to inspire preparatory movement with the hysteria manifested by himself.
 When the American fleet departed for Europe he went aboard the flagship of the commanding admiral and delivered an address in which he ad- vised naval officers to throw prudence to the winds and "do the audacious thing" - advice which they fortunately did not follow. They were immune from the contagion of hysteria.
 When the time came to negotiate treaty of peace with Germany, the task was not undertak- en in the deliberate manner usual in information al undertakings of that sort. There was no ap- pointment of commission of experienced men of affairs to represent the United States Instead there was an hysterical expedition to Europe, hysterical speeches to the people of France and Italy, hysterical demands that a league of na- tions must be formed which the United States must enter or "break the heart of the world" When senators insisted upon examining the treaty and it's obligations before acting upon it, the president made an hysterical speech making trip over the country, with result well known to the nation.
 In view of such record as this, what could be expected but that the people of the country would be more or less under the spell of hysteria