Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-11-22
Woodrow Wilson
As | Know Him
BY JOSEPH TUMULTY
CHAPTER TX
(Continued.)
"A fAkTY SPLIT
LMOST as if it were an acad-
enic question, with which he

~ emic question, with which he
had no~personal concern. he
propounded the alternatives: Should
he lead the fight against Senator
Smith or should he stand aloof and
permit the legislature to act awlthout
any suggestion from him?
He summarized the arguments OF
his friends at Princeton who were
advising him to steer clear of this
fight and not permit himself to be
drawn into it by young. impetuous
people like myself. He said that GER
tain overtures and suggestions of
compromises had been made to HIM
by Senator Smiths friends. to the eff
feet that If he would not play lead
ing part in the fight and allow the
legislature to act without interior
ence from him. Senator Spnith and
his friends in the state would agree
not to oppose his legislative program
at the coming session. It was fur
ther suggested that Senator Smith
had the necessary votes to elect
himself and that it would be futile
to attempt to elect Jim MARITIME: and
that his intervention in this family
quarrel would result in a bitter and
humiliating defeat for him at the
very outset of his administration.
When the governor had con-
cluded this preliminary statement I
was depressed and disappointed.
did not think there should be a
moments hesitation on his part in
at once accepting the challenge so
defiantly addressed to him by the
Democratic bosses of the state
Givlng Him Advice
Frankly, laid the whole case be-
fore him in words to this effect:
MY dear Doctor Wilson, there is
no way l can better serve you than
by frankly dealing with the ques-
ton. Your friends away off in
Princeton probably do not know
how for years our party and it's
destinies have been in the hands
of these very men, enemies of lib.
eralism in New Jersey, who by your
silence or Indifference as to the
United States senatorship are to
be given a new lease on life. The
issue involved in this fight is fun
damental and goes far beyond the
senatorship. The action you take
will have far-reaching effect upon
our party's fortunes, and mo one
can calculate the effect it will I'M
| doubtedly have on your own politi.
cal future. In urging you not to
take part in this fight your friends
are acting unwisely. You cannot
afford not to fight and not to have
an immediate test of your leader
ship in this matter. The question
| of Mr.. Marines fitness, as your
friends urge, is not an issue seri-
ously to be considered. Forty-seven
thousand four hundred and fifty
four voters in the state have de-
cided that matter, and you cannot
| reverse their verdict. Your friends
have placed too much emphasis on
| Marines alleged unfitnessJ and too
little on the du, We the party
and the state as leader"
I called to his attention the fact
| that men like myself had been
heartened and encouraged by his
| speeches in the campaign; how we
| felt that at last we had found in
him leader, bold and fearless, and
that now, when the first real test
Of leadership came, it appeared that
we were to be disappointed, and
that by his silence and inaction he
would permit Senator Smith to win
and allow MARITIME, the popular
choice, to be defeated, thus setting
aside the verdict of the election.
folnts to Trap
He listened intently, but without
comment to all had to say. Pro-
ceeding with my argument, I said
1.-THE people of New Jersey &C
cepted your word, and, to use your
own phrase, 'Toolz< a sportsman s
chance on YOU and they must not
be disappointed. Your failure to
make this fight will mean that you
have not only surrendered your
leadership as governor in this mat.
ter, but by the same act you will
have abdicated your leadership in
favor of the Old Guard all along
4 the line. They have set a trap for
you, and you must not permit your
self to be caught in it." In conclu.
sion I said: "They say they will
support your reform program. What
assurance have you that, having
defeated you in this your first big
fight, they will not turn on you
and defeat your whole. Legislative
program? AS governor, you have
the power to lead us to great
victory in this vital matter. Elk
ercise it now, and opinion through
out the state will strongly and en-
Enthusiastically support you. You have
but to announce your Willingness
to lead and the people of the state
will rally to your standard. The
fight, in any event, will be made
and we wish you to lead it. This
is really the first step to the presi
dency. That is what is really in
volved. Not only the people of New
Jersey but the peoples of America
are interested in this fight. They
are clamoring for leadership, and
am sure you are the man to lead
and that you will not fall"
When the governor elect rose tc
! leave my office, he turned to me
and asked, still in a non-committal
manner, whether in my opinion we
could win the fight in case he
should decide to enter upon. it.
at once assured him that while the
various political machines of the
state would oppose him at every
turn, their so-called organizations
were made of cardboard and that
they would Immediately disintegrate
and fall the moment he assumed
leadership and announced that the
fight was on.
Wilson Reaches Decision
In his own time and by his own
| (C0n%3uuaA ~, pamn Sxo1-..... ~