Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-13
Woodrow Wilson
AS KNOW HIM
@5sI<= BY JOSEPH P. TUMULTY.
BY JOSEPH P. TUMULTY.

everything that affects the or
ganization of the convention.
They are certain not to forget
their standards, as they have
already shown. It is not neces-
sary that I should remind them
of these standards from New
Jersey, and have neither the
right nor the desire to direct
the organization Of conven-
ton of which I am not even
INCOMES.
I was greatly disappointed, of
course, at the character of reply
suggested by McCombs and argued
with the governor at length on
what I considered would be the dis
astrous effects of making a reply
such as the one contained in the
above telegram. Clearly, Mr.. Nc
Combs's suggested reply was a re-
Duke to Mr.. Bryan. OF course, Gov
ernor Wilson was most reluctant to
disregard the advice of McCombs.
He felt that he was ION the job
at Baltimore and more intimately
in touch with the situation than
he himself could be at Sea Girt.
After a long discussion Of the mat
ter, the proposed reply prepared by
McCombs was rewritten and the fol
lowing telegram prepared and sent
by Woodrow Wilson:
w. j. Bryan, Chicago-You
are quite right. Before hearing
of your message 1 clearly stat
ed my position in answer to a
question from The Baltimore
Evening Sun. The Baltimore
convention is to be a conven-
ton of proGressives, of men
who are progressive in princi-
pie and by conviction. It must,
if it is not to be put in
wrong light before the coun-
try, express it's convictions in
it's organization and in it's
choice of the men who are to
speak for it. You are to be
member of the convention and
are entirely within your rights
Il in doing everything within your
power to bring that result
about. No one will doubt where
my sympathies lie and you
will, am sure, find my friends
in the convention acting upon
clear conviction and always in
the interest of the peoples
cause. I am happy in the conf
dence that they need no sug-
gestion from me.
WOODROW WILSON.
This reply, more than any Other
single thing, changed the whole at
titude and temper of the conven
ton toward Woodrow Wilson. The
| progressive forces in it were seek
| ing leadership and Mr.. Bryan, b!
his inquiry, had provided an OPP
portunity, of which Mr.. Wilson tool
full advantage.
Avoiding Rupture With Bryan
An interesting incident occurred
| in connection with this affair. Be
/ ing unable to induce the governor
quickly to reply to Mr.. Bryan, ant
realizing that our friends at Balti
more would expect him to agre'
with Mr.. Bryan, and thus take hi
| place in the progressive elemen
| in the convention, was firmly con
WINGED that he would at the enc
be found in agreement with sMr
Bryan. I, therefore, took the libert.
! of saying to the newspaper mel
| in our group-those who were fav
Wilson did reply to Mr.. Bryan h
would be found in harmony will
Mr.. Bryan's ideas. This unofficia
tip was Immediately conveyed tt
Baltimore, and our friends, afte
returning from the convention. tolt
me how this piece of inspired in
formation had put heart in ou
men, and that on bulletin boar'
before The Baltimore Sun office
there was posted the announcement
"Wilson Agrees With Bryan" am
before it hundreds Of Wilson mel
gathered, cheering the message o
the New Jersey governor.
The reply 6f the New Jersey gov
ernor was prepared by him Will
he was seated on the side of ;
little bed in one of the rooms o
the Sea Grit cottage. He looked
at me intently, holding a pad AM
! pencil in his hands, and then wrot
these significant words: you ar
right"
II have often wondered what eft
feet on the convention McCombs
proposed reply, which contained :
rebuke to Mr.. Bryan, would hav'
had. From that time on Mr.. Bryan
was the devoted friend of the New
Jersey governor. Mr.. Wilson's re
ply had convinced the Nebraskar
that the governor was not afraiC
to accept the issue and that he
was in favor of supporting a pre-
liminary organization that was t.
be progressive both in principle
| and by conviction.
! McCombs was obsessed with the
idea that the New York delegation
must be won; that everything else
was negligible compared with that
| Therefore he wished Mr.. Wilson il
his reply to say something that
would be considered by the New
| York delegates as public rebukt
to Mr.. Bryan. I afterward learn
| ed that McCombs, nervous, in
capable of standing the strain and