The Washington times., 1920-10-28

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Leaving the White House the dele
gation Issued q statement that be-
tween the lines records the surprise.
even shock. experienced by these call
ers who had not seen the President
since he became III more than a year
ago.
FEEBLENKss STARTLING.
This statement. given by men and
women who are ordinarily Republi-
cans, Is In itself a shaded down pen
picture OF the physical feebleness of
the President. It declares that II 10
nothing less than tragic that the
great President OF the United States
should have been brought to such a
stricken physical condition as q result
OF his indefatigable labor for the
country and for humanity"
One OF these visitors plainly dis
tressed that the strain OF the League
OF nations fight and other official
cares had undermined the health OF
the President. describing his appear
ance as pathetic"
Mentally the President was alert.
vigorous. forceful and even aggres-
sive. All were agreed as to that.
Physically Mr.. Wilson's appearance 10
said to have been that Of a man who
mas aged much In a year. whose hair
mas grown much whittier. whose voice
has lost the resonance OF the Wilson
the country once knew. and whose
bodily infirmities have borne down
heavily upon a combative will and
one time sturdy frame.
SAT IN WHEEL CHAIR.
The President sat in a wheel chair
while addressing the little delega-
ton OF Republican men and women
who are going to support the League
OF Nations. He exhibited plainly his
emotion when he reached passages
In his address wherein he referred
to the horrors of war. such as the
mothers and sisters and wives of
the country know the sacrifice of
war. The delegation said the Presi-
dent was ''voicing the profoundest
emotion of his heart"
+ Despite the vigor OF his written
words, the Presidents voice was said
to have been quite low. barely filling
the four walls Of the small room in
which he was stated. This, with his
grayer hairs and general appearance
OF care and long suffering and con-
nnement. left a vivid picture on the
minds OF the small audience. They
marveled at the will Of the man in
the wheel chair. yet recorded sym
pathetically in their hearts an un-
derstanding OF the tragedy it was
theirs to see.
PAUSE IS IMPRESSIVE.
Once Mr.. Wilson paused in his
reading and waited a bit before re-
suming. The pause was attributed
not only to the emotion he felt, but
to WEAKNESS of voice. 1t may not
have been as long as II seemed, but
to the men and women who were
unprepared for the revelation Of the
effect of the Presidents illness this
moment of pause was possibly the
most solemn and touching Of this
remarkable conference in the name
of the peace covenant
1t is doubted the President will
issue a further statement before the
campaign ends. In its dramatic set
ting the White House conference may
we'll constitute the final appeal for
the--peace covenant and approval of
what the President endeavored to do
at Versailles Mr.. Wilson received
a delegation which said 1t comprised
men and women "who were ready to
put patriotism above party in the
present critical hour" He spoke and
they heard not as partisans but be-
levers In the principles OF the league,
with their faces set toward the hope
of world peace. The. President met
them in the historic Blue Room. and
the room is small and the
auditors were few Mr.. Wilson
virtually spoke to the entire nation
when he addressed-from a wheel
chair-this limited assemblage of
pro-league Republicans.
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Certainly the President will not de-
liver another speech before the cam
paign closes. In his letter to Ma
tional Committeeman Costello, of the
District Of Columbia, Mr.. Wilson said
he was not able to address a mass
meeting here and that II would be
'unwise" should he attempt II.
Those who saw the President prob
ably sensed fully what the President
meant when he said this and ap-
preciated his own realization Of his
physical limitations. The appeal Mr..
Wilson made was the appeal Of a sick
man, an executive worn by the cares
Of Office and his long struggle
against odds to have America and its
Senate accept his handiwork at Paris.
This probable last appeal Of the
President for the League was devoted
exclusively to that issue, with a
brief resume of the events that
l,,art into tho uorld