The citizen., 1920-09-16

believe in having everything done
just as President Wilson wants IN
have t." Far be Il from me 10 saw
or think anything unjust or unkind
about President Woodrow Wilson.
He is a learned scholar, a master OF
the English language, man Of large
confidence in his own ability, and
doubtless wishes that the best things
may happen TO our country and 10
the world. There was n time when the
stress of war was upon us that thot
IL likely 10 be best for the coun.
try, in case the war should eontinue
until now, to choose Wilson for A
third term, rather than TO "swar
horses while crossing a stream
When the President was dangerously
i'll. crushed by taking upon himself
burdens and cares beyond what the
United States Constitution designed
that President should cMry. Ihoped
and prayed for his recovery. But we
are now dealing with the facts OF
history and an impartial analysis OF
character; and mention needs TO be
made Of some things which only the
blindest partisan can fail to see.
When the bottom Of the German
campaign suddenly fell out and the
armistice was signed on November
IL. 1918, it was supposed that the
formal terms Of peace would quickly
be arranged. as the Germans, by the
Armistice. had conceded everything
for which their antagonists could
hope. The United States Consti,u-
tion provided that the President and
the Senate should be our joint agents
in negotiating these terms. Recog-
nizing this divided responsibility,
when the Spanish war was coming n
close the then President selected
three Of the five Peace Commissioners
from among the most influential
Senators, disregarding party lines.
But in this case President Wilson
smilingly put himself at the head Of
the Peace Commission and accorded
only one place 70 the opposite party, A..
that place TO be filed by a man whose 4
political affiliations were known only
20 very careful students Of current
history. OF the other Democratic
members IL need only be said tha:
they were especially close 20 the I
President; and up 70 that time he did
not know that their minds did not al
ways follow along with his" as he
learned in regard TO Secretary Of
State Lansing later. II would seem
that all Of his party associates on the
Commission in a way broke with the
President further on. But this did
not clearly appear 20 the representa-
tives from other governments, - n
son always took possession ofVhe
center Of the stage and was under
stood by the European and other dip
lomats as speaking with the authority
OF the American people. The formal
tiles leading 20 permanent peace
might have been quickly disposed Of
had not this one self-sufiicient man
insisted upon incumbering the peace
treaty with n ponderous and COM
plicated document designed 10 bind
together as one all the opponents Of
the Central European powers. and ul-
the entire world. II peace,
by formal treaty as well as in reality,
had been concluded at once as Il
should have been, the scheme Of \
League Of Nations" could have been '
.aken up afterwards. discussed upon
ts merits, and deliberately adopted
Il judged 10 be practicable. But
President Wilson, with perhaps
stronger determination 20 make hi1A
'wn plans paramount. and himselN
he central figure Of the world, than
lad any President before him, was Of
I different mind. He saw that II the
.wo topics naturally separable could
be held together and acted upon as