The Washington times., 1920-06-19


Mine months OF courageous bat
Ting to repair the consequences OF
illness resulting from the pronigacy
with which all earnest men draw
upon their balance In the hank OF ma
ture has neither dlunted the spirit
nor impaired In the slightest degree
the splendid intellect of Woodrow
Wilson.
"Nine months of isolation, while the
orderly processes OF nature, combined
with tender and efficient care. re-
stored nervous and physical tissues
strained by too heavy demands on a
manifestly affected the fiesh. but
have not abridged the intense devo-
ton OF Mr.. Wilson to the principles
for which he fought with the grasp
ing statesmen OF Europe and political
obstructionists In his own country.
HAS OLD-TIME vsGOR
Tho President has paid In the
flesh. There 10 no doubt about that
But with sublime courage he fought
while he lay almost physically help
less. Now that his complete restora-
tion to health seems assured. he
hghts with determined purpose to
bring America to what he considers
it's sense OF duty to the rest OF the
world, with the fullest realization of
his own duty to America.
During the three hours that
spent with the President / saw him
transact the important functions of
his office with his old-time decisive
ness. method and keenness of intel
lectual appraisement.
II heard him dictate his decisions
on matters of great Government i'm
portance with a facility of expression
and directness of meaning that indi-
Gated no impairment of the efficient
mental machine that has known only
the hardest kind of work for forty
years.
WALKS WITH CANE.
ct talked with him for upward OF
an hour, in which we discussed
wide range OF subjects. and concern
ing which he expressed himself not
only with characteristic Wilsonian
vigor, but established the even more
gratifying survival of the saving
sense Of humor.
81 saw him walk from one apart
ment to another on Tuesday, and on
Wednesday accompanied him as ne
walked with no help than cane,
none too stout. from the elevator OF
the White House to his motor car.
The cane upon which his right hand
found support was the sort of stick
he used to thrash through the turnip
patches when he was president at
Princeton.
His use OF it on Wednesday ac-
centuated the heritage of his long
illness, yet the halting movement OF
the motor agencies of his left leg i'm
pressed me as being far less pro-
nounced than that which accompanies
the movements OF Gen. Leonard WOOD.
There was no dragging OF the lett
foot. as there would be II the Presi-
dents left leg were completely par
alyzed. There was a tendency to lift
it a trifie higher and in advance OF
the sturdy right limb.
ABLE TO MOUNT STEPS.
1.-THE best proof OF the great improve
ment in the Presidents physical con-
dition was provided me when l saw
him mount three improvised WOODEN
steps and enter the motor car. with
only such assistance as would ma
turaIly be given to a person GONZALES
cling from serious illness.
'In appearance the President
seemed much the same as on his re-
turn from Paris. He has gained more
than twenty pounds in weight during
the past two months. His face Is not
distorted in the slightest degree. as
some of the unfriendly versions OF his
illness have asserted. The Wilson
face is much the same as 1t was,
though 1t bears the impress OF great
physical suffering.
"After he had worked. and we had
talked an hour. the President walked
from his office chair on the balcony
to the movies in the east room slowly
hnt xntfh cnnAdenCR
ATTENDS TO BUSINESS.
"The Presiden/ turned to the con-
sideration OF some official business
that awaited his attention. While he
was engaged in this task had a very
good opportunity to study him at
close range and to make mental note
OF his system of working. The latter
primarily engaged my attention for
the reason that the task before him
seemed to require complete concentra-
tion and absorption.
AT times Mrs. Wilson read to the
President from the paper in her hand
or gave the document to him. He
scrutinized 1t closely. asked a ques-
ton or two regarding it OF Mr..
Tumulty and then proceeded to dis
pose OF the matter with :he same
studied deliberation that has always
characterized his official methods.
Sometimes he directed that the
document be sent back for further or
clearer explanation. When he had
reached the decision he turned to
Charles Sven, his confidential ste.
nographer, standing with note book
in hand between the President and
Mr.. Tumulty, and dictated rapidly his
conclusions or orders and there was
no suggestion of indecision in doing
so.
DICTATES TWENTY LETTERS.
Later on. when the President had
dictated more than twenty letters,
ranging in volume from three lines to
four or five hundred words, he turned
his attention to the disposition of
documents that had already been re-
duced to typed writing and affixed
his signature At q distance Of six
feet, 1 could see that the President
wrote firmly and without difficulty.
and left on the document before him
the same copper-plate signature that
can be found on moro official instru-
ments probably than were ever