The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-03-12
PERSONALITY
OF WILSON IS
INTERESTING
His Hold is Strong on At
tention. of His Contempo-
raries Curiosity Follows
Him Into Retirement.
NOT TO WRITE HISTORY
ny MARK SULLIVAN


strength of his hold on the interest of
his contempories in the fact that even
in the midst of the excitement of his
successors beginning he has been fol-
lowed into retirement by public cur
iosity which, although cold and dis
tant. is always keen.
Much of this curiosity is going to
be satisfied by approaching develop
ments.
The first will be Secretary Lansing's
book of which the publication is due
on March %. A few persons in Wash
ington who have seen advance copies
of it know that it contains many ex-
tracts from private observations set
down by Mr.. Lansing during the peace
conference when the events occurred
about which he treats.
Justifies Part.
The book is in effect an attempt at
justification on Mr.. Lansing's part, and
in that attempt he tells much not here
tofore known. The book reads as if
Mr.. Lansing meant it as a permanent
justification in history for his own
course, but it gives the impression
that he expects this justification to
come rather from his friends and par
tisans than from impartial historians.
1t has the air of a book meant for
his family and friends to turn to in
explanation of his dismissal by Presi-
dent Wilson and CT the events of a
year and a half preceding that dis
missal
From Mr.. Wilson's side there will
shortly come less personal series of
documents. Mr.. Wilson, contrary to
general understanding, is not going to
do much writing. He has said that all
he will do will be a series of theses
on public questions and has refused
to accede to repeated solicitation from
frie>ds that he should write personal
memories. Instead of this the plan is
for friendly historian to do the work
This historian is to be Ray Stannard
Baker.
, so. Prominent Author
Mr.. Baker is an author of the high.
est reputation. No one will ever eues.
tion the painstaking and conscien-
tious quality of his inquiry into the
facts. But most decidedly the judicial
and impartial quality OF Mr.. Bakers
forthcoming history will be challeng,
ed. All who are close to the situa.
tion know that Mr.. Baker has to.
wards Mr.. Wilson a devotion SO loyal
and fine that from the standpoint o.
the coldly detached historian he will
be regarded as erring on the side OF
personal sentiment.
In addition to the work Mr. Baker
will do, the voluminous letters, memo
randa, and other documents in Mr.
Wilson's possession are to be put al
the disposal of George Creel. CreePs
personal devotion to Mr.. Wilson is
as great as Mr.. Bakers, but Cree
differs from Baker in being one of the
most bellicose persons in the frater
nifty of literary artisans.
To Hit Hard
From Mr. Creel there will be moth
ing in the way of merely sentimental
Justification. There will be hard hit
ting and pungent assaults on Mr.. Will
sons enemies and critics. 1t is such
situation as Creel was born for
such situation as his Temperament
rises to-; all George Creel wants tt
know about controversy is, "Who il
the under dog?"
In the present case Creel will pic
ture Wilson as a fine and benevolent
mastiff beset by large variety o.
indicative mongrels. Creel's natura
sympathy for any one who is on the
defensive, added to his almost pas
sionate devotion to Wilson, is sure tc
lhohC vi lie "lIttS Itdulus
that will be most interesting to the
public and most uncomfortable tc
those who have opposed Wilson.
Exalted Figure.
Out of all this and out of other ma
terial we shall have in due course the
material for an adequate history o
one of the most exalted figures that
mas walked the earth in our time.
One point which will undoubtedly
emerge from these researches is the
fact that during the peace conference
Wilson was not a well man.
The formal records say it was or
September 26, 1919, that Wilson fel
sick, that however. is merely the day
his illness became sensationally ap
parent. Everybody knows that any
sickness, and especially the kind O.
sickness that struck Wilson down, has
its beginnings, long before the col
lapse that attracts public attention. il
the case of Wilson, the period when
it will be found the beginnings of his
illness showed their effects on the
quality of his acts was more than {
year before-during August, 1918.
Show Recession.
In the opinion of the best judges nj!
Russian notes of that month show eC
the first recession from that accurac cy
of thinking and clarity of expression
which raised his documents far beyond
any other utterances of craftsmanship
during the war.
1t is true that month later he de
lvered one of the several speeche:
which formed the high spots in the
acknowledged superiority of his utter
ance. 1t is also true that still another
month later in October, 1918. was th,
time of the superbly directed CORE
spondence with Germany leading VI
to the armistice. But also it was il
This same month that Wilson fell into
the lapse which he himself though
was the most unwise act of his careel
The request to the country to elec
partisan Democratic congress.
The latter part of October. 1918. ant
November. when Wilson made his de
"a