The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-29
REVEALS INTIMATE
SIDE OF PRESIDENT
Secretary Tumulty Tells of
His Actions Under Stress
Of Great Crises.
CASUALTY OF THE WAR
Says Inability to Play to the
Gallery Has Been His
One Great Fault.
CASUALTY OF THE WAR

New York Herald Bureau,l
Washington, ID. C., Oct. 28.
Josefh p. Tumulty. Secretary to
President Wilson. revealed tonight
some of the inside history OF the White
House and personal characteristics of
the President. never hitherto discussed
for publication by Mr.. Tumulty or any
Of the White House official staff, The
occasion was a Democratic mass meet
Ing at Bethesda, Nd, a suburb Of Wash
ington.
The most striking passage in Mr..
Tumulty's speech. which was printed In
advance-for circulation. described the
physical condition of Mr.. Wilson result
ing from the paralytic stroke he suf-
fered while stamping for tAe League of
Nations last fall. After describing the
upright vigorous and alert man."
so years old. but looking mot more than
45. so 1.-the of limb. 30 alert Of bearing.
so virile." delivering his war message to
Congress. Mr.. Tumulty continued:
1.-THE other picture Is only three and
a half years later, There is parade OF
veterans Of the great war. They are to
be reviewed by the President on the east
terrace Of the White 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 ap-
pears an ambulance laden with wounded
soldiers, the manned, the halt and the
blind. AS they pass they salute. slowly,
reverently. The Presidents right hand
goes up in answering salute. / 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"
Points Out His "One Fault"
Mr.. Tumulty told OF his love and ad-
mlration for Mr.. Wilson.
/ HE has one great fault" he said.
1.-THE grave fault TO which / refer is
! that he does not know how to play TO
the gallery" said Mr.. Tumulty. He
does not know how to capitalize his
virtues for the front pages Of the news
papers He Is dreadfuly poor publicity
material. He is the despair of the news
paper boys, who want human interest
| stories Human from his heart to his
finger tips he does not know how to
| put his humanity on exhibition"
"As his secretary, and knowing the
value Of publicity to man seeking
votes, / have often been vexed that he
didn't play up better, but as his friend
and adnilrer L have loved him because
he didn't There was something too
fine in his nature for the dramatics and
posturings of the political game as 1t is
| usually played"
| Carrying on President Wilson's appeal
| a.. 80 art ~ ha
nant," Mr.. Tumulty said:
|. He has insisted on Article X. as the
heart of the covenant because he knew
that only by combined action could the
territorial integrity and political inde-
| pendence of nations be preserved from
aggressive attack by ambitious nations.
| In his insstment on Article Y. President
Wilson wished to forestall the necessity
OF the United States going to war by
| making the United States a participant
In a plan to prevent the beginning of
such war. He wished TO stop the next
war before II should begin. In all the
insincerities of American politics there
is nothing to match the insincerity of the
Republican contention that the League
of Nations will promote war"
! Among incidents on which Mr. Turn
ulty drew TO relate his subject he re-
called the reaction OF the President to
the applause which greeted delivery OF
| his war message to Congress on April
| 6, 1917.
After the War Message.
ION that fateful day." Mr.. Tumulty
said, IT rode with him back from the
Capitol to the White House. the echo OF
the applause still ringing In my ears.
For while he sat silent and pale in the
| Cabinet room. At last he said: Think
what 1t was they were applauding. 1t
| means death for our young men. How
strange It seems to applaud that
THAT simple remark secretary
| Tumulty continued. lis one key to an
understanding OF Woodrow Wilson,"
who. he said. hated and dreaded war
with "all of the fbres OF his human
soul"
As further evidence OF the Presidents
sense OF responsibility for the blood shed
by American soldiers Mr.. Tumulty told
/ OF the day when news came of American
casualties at Vera Cruz in 1914
when the news came" he said, "the
President was quiet. all day. He went
about his business methodically. with his
usual clear Judgment and prompt deci-
slons. but that night he sat silent for
long time At last he said: cannot
get IL off my heart. II 'ad TO be done.
II was right. Nothing else was possible,
but cannot forget that It was 1 who
had to order those young men TO their
Deaths"
Earlier that year. when word came
that a German vessel, laden with mu-
nitions, was on Its way to Mexico"
President Wilson talked over the tee-
phone wire with Secretaries Bryan and
Daniels, and Mr.. Tumulty said he also
| was on the telephone during the con-
| versation. When tho situation had been
stated to the President he said. the voice
came back clear and Arm: Order Adj
miral Mayo TO take Vera Cruz at once"
Just before / cut OF the connection"
Secretary Tumulty continued. "I said n
word to the President about the tragedy
Of IL all. His voice responded, no longer
clear. but muffied. as when one chokes
back a sob: What do you think of II.
Tumulty? IL means death. II breaks
my heart, but Il must be done"
Says He Ignored Danger.
Secretary Tumulty recalled also Mr..
Wilson's determination to ride In the
funeral procession OF tho marines and
sailors killed at Vera Cruz, when the
bodies were brought to New York. Dis
duieting rumors that an attack was
plapned on his life had reached secret
service men. Mr.. Tumulty said. and
"one undertook to argue with him, say
Ing. YOU will show all proper respect
by appearing In the reviewing stand
The country cannot afford to lose Its