Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-24
Woodrow Wilson
AS | KNOW HIM
BY JOSEPH P. TUMULTY.

our southern borders. From man!
of them came the unqualified de
mand for intervention, so that the
Mexican question should be once ant
for all settled.
Avoiding Intervention
In the cabinet, the secretary O
war, the vigorous spokesman OF TIT
cabinet group, demanding radical &C
ton in the way of intervention, wa
insisting that we intervene and pu
an end to the pusillanimous rule o
Carranza and "clean up" Mexico
Even I, who had stood with thu
president during the critical days o
the Mexican embroglio, for a while
grew fainthearted in my devotion tt
the policy of watchful waiting. II
me, the attack of Villa on Colum
bus, and the killing of some of GU,
soldiers while asleep, was the las
straw. The continuance of this i'm
possible situation along the border
was unthinkable. To force the presi
dents hand, if possible, I expressed
my feelings in the following letter!
to him:
The White House, Washington,
March Is, 1916.
My Dear Governor: !
I have been thinking over
what we discussed this morning
with reference to the Mexican
situation.
am not acting on impulse and
without full realization, 1 hope,
90 i,,o io
I am convinced that we should
pursue to the end the declared
purpose announced by you last
Friday and Endorsed by congress
and the people of the United
States of getting Villa" If the
de facto government is going to
resist the entrance of our troops,
a new situation will be present
ed. I feel that you ought to adj
wise congress at the earliest pos
sible moment Of what the situa-
ton really is in order to secure
it's support and cooperation in
whatever action is needed to &C
complish the purpose you have
in mind. To retrace our steps
now would be not only disas-
trous to our party and humiliat-
ing to the country, but would be
destructive of our influence in
international affairs and make it
forever impossible to deal in any
effective way with Mexican af-
fairs.
Your appeal to congress ought
to deal with this matter in an af- /
firmative way, asking for the re-
quisite power which you may
feel assured will be granted you
in ungrudging fashion.
My apology for writing you is
the distress of mind and my deep
interest in everything that af-
fects you and your future and,
I hope, the country's welfare. /
would not be your friend if I did
not tell you frankly how feel.
Faithfully
The President,
The White House.
The White House, Washington,
June "a, 1916.
Dear Governor:
The Mexican authorities admit
that they have taken American
soldiers and incarcerated them.
The people feel that a demand
should be made for their imme-
date release, and that it should
not take the form of an elaborate
note. Only f1rmness and an I'M
t1lnching insistence upon our
part will bring the gentlemen in
Mexico City to their senses.
IF / wprn Y1r0Ci1oDf fIoic
ment, or acting as secretary of
state, my message to Carranza
would be the following:
Release those American SOL
diers or take the consequences"
This would ring around the
world.
Faithfully, TUMULTY.
The President,
The White House.
Not Afraid of Criticism
After reading these letterse, tn,
president sent for me one day t.
visit with him in his study, and t,
discuss "the present situation ir
Mexico" AS sat down, he turned
to me in the most serious way ant
said: 'Tumulty, you are Irish, and
%iAoA CAOi z, Altll VI IlSuC. know nov
deeply you feel about this Columbus
affair. OF course, it is tragical ant
deeply regrettable from every stand
point, but in the last analysis I, ant
not the cabinet or you, must beal
the responsibility for every actor
that is to be taken. I have to sleel
with my conscience in these matter.
and shall be held responsible fo1
every drop of blood that may b,
spent in the enterprise Of interven
ton. am seriously considering
every phase of this difficult matter
and 1 can say frankly to you, ant
you may inform the cabinet of
ficers who discuss it with you, tina
there won't be no war with Mexico
If can prevent it, no matter how
loud the gentlemen on the hill vel
for 1T and demand it. 1t is not {
difficult thing for president to de
clare war, especially against a veal
and defenseless nation like Mexico
In republic like ours, the man OF
horseback is always an idol, an(
were I considering the matter from
the standpoint of my own politica
fortunes, and it's influence upon tn,
results of the next election, I would
at once grasp this opportunity an(