The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-03-15

good faith can not be permitted to !
suffer even the suspicion of dishonor. !,
Wilson's part in securing the adop- !
ton of necessary war legislation was
far greater than has ever before been
the case with a president. While it
is true that the common patriotism of |
the country rallied magnificently to
the national cause, it is nonetheless
true that the guiding hand of compe-
tent leadership alone could turn this !
enthusiasm and these forces to the !
! most effective co-ordinated results. !
Among the most difficult problems
that had to be faced were those con-
cerned with settling disputes involv-
, ing labor. Certainly no ether man
could have met these difficult prob
u. lens with such success. When ca
lamitous strike seemed inevitable, an
', address to the men in the presidents
wonderful style or conference with
; the leaders or a firm refusal to per-
init any man to rock the boat would
keep the wheels moving that could
not stop if we were to win the war.
The public's memory is so short that
probably most have already forgotten
how in those trying days it was the
regular thing to say Of any difficulty
that appeared insolvable, "Le5 the
president settle il"
A World Leader
The presidents trip to Europe was
simply an act Of a great man who re-
fused to permit events to take the
wrong course while he in obedience
to precedent remained in Washington
and sought to do 5hrough ambassadors
what he was barely able tc accomplish
by his powerful personality and ire
sistible personal prestige on the spot.
It is not too much te.. say that Europe
has already been spared second
calamity Of war because Woodrow
Wilson went 20 Paris.
AS the president reached the Pm
nacle of his greatness III :snnect'cn
with the Great war, both in the mar
velous effectiveness of his leadership
of our national forces during the
conflict and in his unique moral and
intellectual leadership in the Peace
! Conference, so that he was destined
in the same connection to make his
most unhappy blunder and meet his
most serious defeat. Whether ne
should have carried serveral strong
Republican leaders with him to Paris
may prehaps be open to discussion.
The future, though visiting the merit
ed scorn upon certain senatorial lead
ers, will entertain on,Sone opinion as
to his tragic mistage in failing to
come to an agreement, even to the
extent of accepting the whole pro-
gram of the Foreign Relations COM
mittee's reservations, as the only pos.
! sible means of enabling America to
serve her own interests and serve the
world through the League of Nations.
! His blunder in that is responsible
! more than all else combined for his
repute of autocracy, impracticality,
and willfulness, and will result either
in the fruits of his labors being lost
! or being gathered by others who little
deserve the honor.
The foundations Of the presidents
power are laid in both intellect and
character. These two essentials of
greatness he possessed in great de-
gree and combination that mark the
epochal man. The fervor of his re-
ligious convictions, the fearlessness
! of his pursuit of what he conceives to
be right, the prophetic vision of his
idealism, and the power of intellect
with which he marshals his forces are
raised to the utmost effectiveness by
a gift of expression that carries his