South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-05-16
BY JOSEPHUS DANIELS.
Former Secretary &C the Navy. 1919
1921


The American ability 20 laugh
when things get desperate ls a good
proof "a any Of the Americans 1T
ness 10 survive
Most people think az Woodrow
wilson a. a stern man a man OF
un6ending gravity. a man whose
very smile Ia serious They don't
know him as we do who lived with
him through the years Of anxiety
. ana burden which were his Some
piimes az 7 look back on them
wonder that he did not give way
under the strain long before armis-
tice day came
Through the nearly three years Of
apprehension which preceded our
entrance into the war. the years OF
neutrality and negotiation. the years
or trying 10 deal honorabiy with a
trucuicnt government. the years Of
divided sentiment az home. the draft
upon energy and nervous vitality
had been great
When we actually entered the
war IL was In a measure relief. but
a relief from one sort Of pressure
merely to face another, which. as
days went by, grew heavier
Calm and Unhurricd.
We who were with him in those
days can testify 70 how splendidly
ne bore the weight Of responsibility.
He met each emergency with calm.
unhurried mind He gave to each
problem deliberate thought He
acted with decision and promptitude
wnen the facts were before him.
he maintained fine sense Of pro-
portion as to relative values Of
things. and he wasted little time on
trifies Of matters OF routine and red
tape. lie thought and planned and
directed on big-scaIc map of
Americas possibilities for service.
Always one felt his tremendous faith
in America. The inspiration of il
was magnificent.
But there was "A sanity about his
seriousness. He looked at his re-
possibilities seriously, but not too
seriously. lie knew that unless the
tension on human mind and nerve
is relieved they can not do their
work efficiently. and they may snap.
Entertainment. fun. laughter have
their essential places in life. they
are needed most by those who have
the most serious tasks to do Men
who are absorbed FOR hours and
days al a time in such problems OF
life and death as concerned the
president are saved from collapse
hy tho power TO escape through jest
or play. The man who cannot avail
himself Of this avenue Of escape will
not be long for the duties ne should
perform
Lincoln not only rested his own
mind, but refreshed the minds of
his cabinet by interpolating into the
anxious days Of civil war occasional
readings from Artemus Ward, or
humorous stories which he had
gathered here or there in his wide
Held Of human contacts.
Liked Funny Stories.
Woodrow Wilson kept his body
iu trim by regular exercise and not
visits TO the golf links.
His brilliant mind relaxed itself 10y
yielding Co its keen appreciation for
humorous story-ei.her the tell
ing or the hearing Of it, I DO not
think there was ever a cabinet meet
ing when he did not illustrate his
views with story Sometimes from
incidents which had happened over
seas. It was not always funny
story. but il often was
/ remember when we were getting
letters threatening all sorts of dire
things If we went To war with Ger
many. and the newspapers were fun
trcachcry and treason. the president
told this story-new 90 me-abOut
traitors.
When Benidect Arnold was given
ID rowing commissict; 20 destroy the
revolutionary cause. ne went south
There ne met a Carolina patriot.
who not knowing 20 whom he was
talj5ing. was roasting Arnold.
What" asked Arnold. would the.
people of North Carolina do % Ar
mold II they were to capture him 3".
We'll" the North Carolinian
said. they would cut off tie log
injured when he was bravelv follow
ing Washington and give il an hon
orable burial. Then we would hang
The balance Of the d. rascal"
After we entered the war and
found ourselves in close association
with the allied nations there was
naturally a lot of good -natured chat
Of ar international sort. That much
Of il should relate TO England was
tho inevitable consequence of earli-
or history The president who
knew The English people we'll a"d
liked them. took greatenioyment out
81 one or two stories which were
told at their expense.
recall him telling 81 m .nc7de IL
VII ich happened when ne was spend
ing n summs- i'm England i'm tie
wears before he entered the white
house.
The bishop OF North Dakota dis
was in England. ON a visit" he said.
"and il was announced that he would
preach in a church not far from
where I was staying, so 7 decided
20 go to hear my distinguished fel-
low countryman.
ION entering the church little
carly in order "a be sure OF a seat
overheard another visitor inquir-
In Of the English clergyman. VINO
vas standing near tho door Who
ie 10 preach This afternoon p"
7 have forgotten his rame.'
repied the clergyman. hut he IA the
tf,hop C.: North Dakota, one n the
british provinces
The bishop ONO rtA Dakota dis
Uusoned his audience before NJ
finished his sermon, and reduced
the size or the Rritish empire in the
mind Of the English rector by sub
--.-.... .tn l,,st, American COM