The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-14

Wilson in regard to the Harding ad- ministration, when he said:
 "1 look forward to the new admin istration with no unpleasant antics- pations except those caused by MT. Harding's literary style.'
 And, by the way, there is a de- licious story going the rounds" in regard to Mir Harding's literary style which isn't set down in The Mirrors of Washington" but would be appreciated anywhere.
 It seems that an American profess sor in Paris is the author of the story; when someone told him of the visit of NJ. Viviani to America and of his talk with President Harding, the clever professor ob- served:
 q marvel that they could get along, for NJ viviani speaks no English and President Harding speaks very little."
 The chapter on Mir Wilson makes TO apology for attacking a broken and beaten man. Everything must yield to the authors desire to ad- vance and expound his "explana- tions." It lies in a certain infe- iiOiity On tit part OL AlC tN-I CS- ident. This is his shrinking from rough contacts with his fellow men, and his unwillingness to make a fight for his convictions. The fault developed early. MT Wilson st=died law, but when he found that to prac- tice that profession would require him to meet juries face to face and struggle openly with rivals. his in- stinct of recluse triumphed and he abandoned the bar for teaching. The fact that this theory is left gro- tesque by countless incidents of MT. Wilson's public career does not trou- ble the writer of the Mirrors" He will stick to his supposition through the heavens fall.
 The former President is pictured as lacking mental robustness. lacking that gusto which richly endowed natures ordinarily have" At the peace conference he revealed "a strange, impeded, self-absorbed per sonality."
 History arranged the greatest stage of all time. and on it placed a lot of little figures, 'pigmy minds
 -all save one, and he the nearest great, an unworldly person sum- moned from cloister. with the vis- ion of genius and the practical ln- ca apacity of one who has run away from life, hating men but loving all mankind, eloqyent but inarticulate in large way, incapable of self-ex- pression in his chosen field of oliti- cal action, so self-centered that he forgot the worlds tragedy and merged it into his own, making great things little and little things great,
 ha Q cf- ing refutation of the optimistic mo- ton that when there is a crisis fate produces man big enough to meet it."
 The two extreme views of MT. Will son are quoted to show how various are the emotions he has excited: one that Mir Wilson is "the wickedest man in the world,' the other the opinion of General Shuts of South Africa, who wrote that it was not the. fault of Wilson but of humanity that his vision of universal peace failed.
 He thought that lawyers were "pitiful creatures" and he kept near him MT. Lansing ("admifably cho- sen," the writer interpolates) to re- mind him of how contemptible they were.
 More than all other men MT. Will son is declared to have scorned Lodge, whose life of demeaning himself to politicians, of waiting for dead mems shoes in the Senate, had brought some compensations, among others an inordinate capacity to hurt" A
 The hate was reciprocal. "The Massachusetts senator. who had put by scholarship for politics and had won the opportunity to do menial service for political machine, hated the man who had chosen the scholarship and come out with the presidency"
 Mr. Wilson is said to have had a scorn for the men with whom he had to deal in Europe, above all for Lloyd George. Suspecting the Brit ish Premier of disloyalty to the League of Nations, he is reported to have said of him just before he sailed for Paris. T shall look him in the eye and say to him. Damn you. if you do not accept the league, I shall say things to them that will shake your government.
 Summing up, the writer finds that MT. Wilson .excelled in appeals to the heart and conscience of the na- tion. a gift Mr. Harding has not, the handling and selecting of men were lacking.
 He forgot, in his greatness and aloofness, the national passion for equality. which 8 more brilliant poli- tician, Mir. Roosevelt appeased by act ing as the peoples court jester. and which shre wder politician. Mir. Harding. guards against by remind ing the country that he is just folks and in the end the masses turned upon him, like a Roman mob on defeated gladiator"
 Personally I am disappointed in the chapter devoted to Col. George Harvey-our representative at the G--.-. = e 1AseesN and passing over