Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1921-03-17

executive only in domestic re-
forms. By complex fate he was
led to the highest fame as an in
ternatlonal statesman. Absolute
integrity was struck as the key
note of his international policy
when he demanded and secured
from an unwilling Congress the
repeal OF the act of the previous
administration .exempting Amer
lean ships from tolls in the PAN
anna canal. We had promised
equality ,of treatment to the ships
of all nations; President Wilson
held the nation to the ideal that
American good faith cannot be
permitted to suffer even the sus-
picion of dishonor.
Wilson's part in securing the
adoption of necessary war legis-
lation was far greater than has
ever before been the case with
president. While it is true that
the common patriotism of the
country rallied magnificently to
the national cause, it is nonethe-
less true that the guiding hand of
competent leadership alone could
turn this enthusiasm and these
forces to the most effective coor-
dinated results. Among the most
difficult problems that had to be
faced were those concerned with
settling disputes involving labor.
Certainly no other man could
have met these difficult problems
with such success. When q ca
lamitous strike seemed inevitable,
an address to the men in the pres
ident's wonderful style, or a con-
ference with the leaders, or firm
refusal to permit 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 forgot
ten how in those trying days it
was the regular thing to say of
any difficulty that appeared in
solvable, "Let the president settle
it,"
The presidents S trip to Europe
was simply an act of a great man
who refused to permit events to
take the wrong course while he.
IN obedience to precedent, re-
mained in Washington and sought
to do through ambassadors what
he was barely able to accomplish
by his powerful personality and
irresistible personal prestige on
the spot. 1t is not too much to
say that Europe has already been
spared second calamity of war
because Woodrow Wilson went to
Paris.
AS the president reached the pin
nacle of his greatness in connec-
ton with the great war, both in
the marvellous effectiveness of his
leadership of our national forces
during the conflict and in his
unique moral and intellectual
leadership in the peace confer
ence, so he was destined in the
same connection to make his most
unhappy blunder and meet his
most serious defeat. Whether he
should have carried several strong
Republican leaders with him to
Paris may perhaps be open to dis
cussiOn. The future, though Wis
iting the merited scorn upon GER
tain senatorial leaders, will enter
tain only one opinion as to his
tragic mistake in failing to come
to an agreement, even to the ex-
tent of accepting the whole pro-
gram of the foreign relations com
mlttee s reservations, as the only
possible means of enabling Amer
lea to serve her own interests and
serve the world through the
League Of Nations. His blunder
III that is responsible more than
all else for his repute of autocra-
cy, impracticality and wilfulness,
and will result either in the fruits
OF his labor being lost or being
gathered by others who little de-
serve the honor.
The foundations of Wilson's
power are laid in both intellect
and character. These two essen
tlals OF greatness he possessed in
a degree and combination that
mark the epochal man. The fer
vor OF his religious convictions,
the fearlessness of his pursuit of
what he conceives to be right, the
prophetic vision of his idealism
and tho nomor &c ;a+auaa4