Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-04
CHAPTER III
/ NINETEEN HUNDRED EIGHT

CHAPTER III
n INETEEN HUNDRED EIGHT
N and nine were two eVentful
years in the life Of Woodrow
Wilson. They were curiously like the
years of his later battle for the
League Of Nations. In acrimony
and bitterness the controversy at
Princeton over the kind of a grad
uate school to be established was
more intense perhaps than the leg
islative dispute which led to Presi-
dent Wilson's physical break down.
There is, an interesting analogy in
the circumstances of the two fights
both of which made him taste the
dregs of defeat.
Personal friendships were severed
in Princeton which time never re-
united. Charges and counter-charges
were made on the meaning of
phrases and ambiguous utterances
DIR. Wilson's opponents did not
hesitate to accuse him of a species
of intellectual dishonesty" And
he, on his part, attributed to them
motives of personal exploitation
rather than the best interests Of the
university.
For thirty years there had been
an unbroken intimacy between the
late Moses Taylor Pyne and Wood
row Wilson. No friendship Of later
days ever compared with it. Mr..
Pyne was chairman OF the Graduate
School committee Of the board of
trustees. He issued a statement an
nouncing his regretful opposition to
DIR. Wilson's plan. Before it was
Wilson to obtain his comment for
the newspapers. He was visibly af-
fected but would not say a word
for publication.
Refused Proctor's Gift
''If you give the other side rope
enough" he remarked, they'll al
ways hang themselves" 1t was a
characteristic comment. He was
fearless, and unrelenting. He be-
lieved in ultimate vindication. The
Graduate School controversy came
to head when William Cooper
Proctor, of Cincinnati, Ohio, manu-
facturer Of "Ivory" SOAP. and him
self an alumnus of Princeton, Of
fered 100000 for the building of a
Graduate School provided the trus-
tees could raise'/an equal, amount.
Woodrow Wilson turned the gift
down. His defense was that the
gift had Strings tied to it," He
thought the reservations interfered
with the authority Of the board of
trutees to administer the university.
One of \the conditions Of the gift
was that Dean West should remain
at the head of the Graduate School.
Dean West was a close friend of
Mr.. Proctor and was instrumental
in having the offer made. He was
an energetic champion Of the Grad
uate School and was always per-
suading men Of wealth to give their
money to Princeton
When the Proctor gift was re-
jected, alumni sentiment became
hostile. The Princeton club of New
York was so antagonistic that for
a time it looked as if an invitation
to speak which had been extended to
DR.. Wilson before the Proctor in
cident became acute would be with
drawn. Woodrow Wilson was not
in the best of health and took a
needed rest in Bermuda early in
the year 1910. When he returned
the Princeton club did not withdraw
the invitation. Neither did Mr.. Will
son seek to avoid it. He went
straight to the camp of the enemy.
The tension that evening was in
describable. Never in his later ca
reer did Woodrow Wilson face an
audience more hostile to him. The
perfunctory cheers at the opening
of the meeting were not as usual for
Wilson" but for "the President of
Princeton"-the irony Of which did
not fail to escape his notice.
you want to know why I turned
down a million dollars" was DR..
Wilson's opening remark. He talk
ed for more than an hour. His words
were eloquent, his argument had the
ring Of sincerity, He was never
interrupted with applause. At the
end few clapped their hands-the
ordeal was over. Classmates of DR..
Wilson, men like Robert Bridges,
associate editor of Scribner's Maya
zine, reiterated their faith in him
but for the most T TT the speech
made mo converts.
Opposition Grows
Reporters were not supposed to be
present yet full account oe what.
occurred plus the prejudiced SLANT
of those who opposed Dr., Wilsonl
was published in two New York.
newspapers the next day. cir9
cumstance that added fuel to the
flames. Two, stenographers took
down what was said. There had
been an undercurrent of talkgabout
DR.. Wilson's constant denia1s of
his reported attitude on the Grad
uate School question. No opportu-
nifty, his opponents said. would be
given this time to deny what he
said.
Inside and outside of Princeton,
the division between 'pro%Wilson and
anti-Wilson was sharply defined.
Among the members of the faculty,
social invitations were carefully ex-
tended so that wives Of the support
ers of one group would not meet the
other side.
Gradually the demand that DR..
Wilson resign the presidency OF
Princeton began to grow in volume.
Wilson must go" was the slogan
of his opponents. Some years be-