Hickory daily record., 1922-12-27

of the persistent, mysterious .un-
conscious way in which men today
draw together around Woodro"
Wilson. 1t requires explanations.
Why, in Washington FOR months
now, has the sightseeing wagon
followed his car? Why do the chat
tering tourists inside grow silent as
they pass it? They don't peer. They
lift their hats and sigh. and it some
times takes minutes and striking
eights to break the mood the fleet
ing glimpse of that drawn, long white
face has stirred.
Why is it that on Sundays and
holidays men and women and chill
dren-most of them busy through the
week-walk to his house and stand
there in groups, speak together N
hushed tones as if something solemn
and ennobling moved in them? CUrio--
sity? Men chatter and gibe and
jostle in curiosity. These people arc
silent, gentle and orderly. You will
see them before the theatre on nights
when it is known that Mr.. Wilson IS
within, quietly waiting for him tc
come out. There will be so, 100, even
sometimes 1000.
They cheer him as he passes, and
there are often cokes in the cheers
and always tenderness. Why do they
do it? Nothing more instructive,
more unplanned, goes on in Wash
ington. Let it be known that he is III
his seat in theatre, and the Who'll"
house will rise in homage. Let his
face be thrown on the screen, and Il,
will draw greeting that the face Of
no other living American receive.
And that is not true in Washington
alone.
Why should the vast throng tha-
packed Pennsylvania avenue froal
end to end on armistic day have stood
reverently, with heads barred in ST
lence as the bier Of the unknown soldier
rassed, attended by all the Officials
greatness of the moment-the Pres-
dent, his cabinet, the supreme court,
the house, the senate, the t,iN'o-
matte corps, Pershing, Foch-why
should this great crowd have watche,. ].
in silence until, quite unexpectedly, q
carriage far down the line came e
view? Why should this crowd, uncoE-
scious of what it was doing, have
broken into low cry Of sympathy
and grief: "Thcre's Wilson," The cry
flew down the long avenue.
They saw his as the man who had,
called into service the boy they
honored, who had put the wonderful
light in his eye, that light of which
4 great French surgeon said: "Thr
American soldier if different from
al! others. i don't know what it Is
whether it is God. the Monroe doc
rine, or President Wilson: but hc
has something in his eye" Yes, VIII
sons place was by the dead soldier,
md the people knew it, and told him
by their unconscious outburst.
Woodrow Wilson means something
0 the people of the United States;
omething profound, something they
annot forget. People think OF hil.i
pow as the man who was behind the
respiration Of their greatest moments:
Who stirred them to a fresh under
standing Of the meaning of words
hat had become mere patter on man.
onEues-"democracy," union" He
nade them realities, personal. deep---
howed them as the reason.of all that
: good in our present, all that is
,opeful in our future, the working
asis on which men may strive to
iberty of soul and peaceful achieve
nent. He made them literally things
% die for, lifting all of our plain,
tumble thousands who never knew ap-
olause or wealth or the honor OF
'ffice into the ranks Of those who are
willing to die for an ideal-.the high !
EST plane that humans reach.
People are thinking, also of his
work in that after-war period when
he hate, revenge and bitterness that
war has loosed have none of the
restraints that war compels, and We
must, by reason and good will and
patience, restore our controls-th |
terrible period we speak Of as re-
There, too, he kindled !
'nthusiasms. "Now," he said, "let |
is do what men have long dreamed |
give to each people it's chance, cut |
lown the foolish barriers of trade,
limit our ornaments, enter into a |
1nion of all nations pledged to CO.
operation and peace"
The peoples Of the earth rallied to |
1is plan, pledged themselves. And |
hen the loosed passions began their |
war on him. Those who wanted |
'eace and believed it easy; thoso
Who hated peace and believed it i'm
possible; those who envied his place
Uttered with his judgements, failed |
II MS TaVOr-tneSe and many more |
'oined in an attack such as few men
aver faced in the history OF this
earth. He fought to a finish, that
ne might secure the pledge Of the !
nations to the ideal of word CO.
operation.
He won-won with the peoples of
The world, if not with all of theft
governments. "hey look to him as
The man who drove that ideal so deep
into the soul Of the nations that no |
man or men can ever destroy it. II |
has become an asset of tormented |
humanity, possible way out OF
slaughter and hate. Through all the |
future. men will be building upon il, |
adapting, expanding, as men have
Quilt on Washngton's work, on efforts !
rest on something essentially sound i
and secure.
They are simple people, remember,
GALLEY TWO Theman the cannot fo |
The man they cannot forget. -.
those thousands whose hearts he had |
enkindled. They are the people who
do the work of the world, and their |
minds are easily hcwildernd 'tHe |