Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-04-08
Woodrow Wilson
AS | KNOW HIM
BY JOSEPH P. TUMULTY.

P. TUMULTY.
son could be construed into prom
Use to send United States troops
abroad to protect frontiers. The al
legation is based upon the report of
the interpreter, Mantoux, and a book
by journalist, DR.. E. w. Dillon,
called 1.-THE Inside Story of the
Peace Conference" M. Mantoux,
through a brilliant and cultivated
interpreter, whose work enormously
facilitated the progress Of the con-
ference, did not take stenographic
notes and mis- Interpretation some
times failed to give the exact mean
ing of the original. DIR. Dillons
evidence is subject to suspicion.
since his book is based upon gos-
sip, and replete with errors of fact.
The stenographic. report, on the
other hand, is worthy Of trust. I
have heard the president on more
than one occasion explain TO M.
Clemenceau and Lloyd George that,
if troops were necessary to protect
any troubled area. they must not
| look to the United States for assist
ance. for public opinion in this coun.
| try would not permit the use of
American forces"
,, Even Mr.. Lansing himself in his
book testifies to the open-minded-
ness and candor of the president in
these words:
It had always been my prac-
tice as secretary Of state to
speak to him with candor and to
6icn with him N1yIo
thought he was reaching a
wrong decision in regard to any
matter pertaining to foreign af-
fairs. There was a general be-
lief that Mr.. Wilson was not
open-minded and that he was
quick to resent any opposition
not found him SO during the
years we were associated. Ex-
cept in few instances he lis
tened with consideration to ar.
guments and apparently endeav-
ored to value them correctly.
Meeting Criticism
No man ever WINGED less under
the criticism or bitter ridicule of
his enemies than did Woodrow Will
son. Whether the criticism was
directed at him or at some member
Of his cabinet, or mayhap, at su.
| coordinate like myself, for some act,
| statement or even an indiscretion,
he bore up under the criticism like
a true sportsman. I remember how
manfully he met the storm of criti-
cism that was poured upon him aft
er the issuance Of the famous Gar,
field fuel order. While, as mat
ter Of fact, he had not been consult
ed regarding it, he courageously
took the responsibility for the issu.
ance of the order and stood by DR..
Garfield to the last.
1t will be recalled what a tremen-
dous impression and reaction the
Garfield order caused when it was
published throughout the country.
Many about president were great.
ly worried and afraid of the disas.
trous effect of it upon the country
Cabinet officers rushed in upon him
and endeavored to persuade him to
recall it and even to repudiate Gar.
field for having issued the order
without consulting the cabinet, but
their remonstrances fell unheeded
upon the presidents ears. I remem
Der at the time that I wrote the
president regarding the matter and
called his attention to what appear
ed to me to be the calamitous results
Of the issuance of the fuel order
My letter to the president is as fol
lows:
The White House, Washington,
II January, 1918.
Dear Governor:
At II o'clock last night, Mr..
Lincoln, Of the New York
World, called me out of bed by
telephone to notify me that the
fuel administration had issued
a drastic order shutting down
the factories of the country for
five days, etc.
do not know about the de-
tails of the order. 1 assume, of
course, that it was necessary be.
cause Of the tremendous short
age throughout the country.
But what l am afraid Of is that
my own READINGS sto accept this
assumption may not be shared
by people outside. In other
words, has the groundwork been
laid for this radical step? Do
the people know how much coal
we have on hand and what the
real shortage is? Have they not
been led to believe that our chief
i'll was transportation and that
by subjecting themselves to
hardships by cutting down
trains, etc, enough cars have
been provided to carry coal?
West Point May Surpris~ EN-
In other words, 1 am afraid
the country will want to be
shown that the step just taken
was absolutely necessary and if
this cannot be proved, I greatly
fear the consequences upon the
morale of the people. 1 am so