Evening star., 1922-04-15
WILSON'S HEALTH
GAINING STEADILY
Former President Working
More Every Day, But He
Shuns Politics.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Former President Woodrow Wilson
is In better health today than at any
time since his breakdown in Septem-
Der. 1919. He is able to walk around
his home. for instance, without the
assistance Of a cane or the support OF
a companion. His voice is clear. He
does more work every day.
This constant Improvement has sur
prised physicians. Not long ago DR..
Charles Mayo Of Rochester. Minn.. Wis
tied Mr.. Wilson and pronounced his
condition as remarkable. He attrib-
pted- ed-th4sAestoration almost entirely
to Mr. wffson's indomitable will. Mr..
Wilson has obeyed physicians in
structions implicitly and has not at
tempted to engage in public contro-
versy or debate. The temptation to
do so has at times been overwhelm-
ing. He has not written any books
for publication as yet. nor has he ac-
cepted any of the numerous oppor-
tuntties offered him to write for
newspapers on current events. He
conceives the duty of an ex-Presi-
dent is to keep silent. He has refused
steadfastly to do anything that might
embarrass the incumbent President.
In this course Mr.. Wilson is said to
feel a certain sense of self-satisfac-
ton, for he believes his example is
in contrast to the activities Of ex-
Presidents during his own term as
President.
Cheered at Thenter.
Mr. Wilson lives a quiet life, and
only occasionally is visible to Wash
III tn to- ,Nx
mobile around the parks almost daily.
He has been attending vaudeville Sat
urday nights. and lately has been go
ing to the matinees. He received q re-
markable ovation Wednesday when
he attended q matinee Of "Ziegfeld
Follies."
Attention has been focused again on
the question of Mr.. Wilson's health
because he has seen fit to take issue
publicly with his former secretary.
Joseph P. Tumulty. The incident is
still the sensation Of the hour, with
Ali sorts of explanations being offered
in political circles as to the causes of
the Wilson letter to a New York
newspaper repudiating the message
conveyed by Mr.: Tumulty to a politf-
cal dinner at which former Gov. Cox
of Ohio made the principal address.
The feeling between the McAdoo
and Cox factions of the democratic
party is very intense, and 1t was gen.
orally believed hereabouts that the
McAdoo wing of the party had been
influential in persuading Mr. Wilson
TO repudiate the Tumulty message.
MANY Of the McAdoo followers have
felt that Mr.. Tumulty might have
assisted them materially by taking
sides in the preconvention fight which
illuminated in the nomination Of Gov.
Coz in 1920.
Despair Of Harmeny.
The factionalism In the democratic
party is so Intense that many demo-
Gratis Of national prominence have de-
spaired Of harmony. Mr.. Cox's
speeches have been SO obviously in
support Of the major Wilson policies,
especially the league of nations. that
Mr.. Wilson cannot take sides against
him. no matter how friendly he might
wish to be to the other factions. As
for the McAdoo supporters, there is
no evidence to show they are receav-
ing any direct encouragement from
MI. wilson. There Is, on the con-
trary. every reason to believe that
for the present. at least, Mr.. Wilson
is trying to keep hands off and is
anxious to have the democrats of the
country know he is maintaining abso-
lutte neutrality. This may be one
reason why he was irritated over the
11se made of the Tumulty message by
some of those who interpreted 1t as
friendly to the political forcunss of
lanes M. Cox. Mr.. Wilson is getting
better physically. but it is doubtful
whether he will ever get into the po-
litical fray again.
- fOopvrirht 1927