Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-03
EXTREMES OF PRAISE AND HATE
MET BY WILSON AS PRESIDENT
Profound Peace. Terrible Var, Domestic Sorro,U,
Ne,o Happiness in Marriage, Ruddy Health,
Lingering Illness Contrasts of Eight Years.

The second democratic President
since Andrew Jackson to fill two sue
cessive terms. Mr.. Wilson's eight
years In the White House carried him
through the range Of human emo
tions. He was almost blindly idolized
and cordially hated. Profound peace,
the most terrible wars, death of a
wife and helpmate, courtship and
marriage. and. finally, lingering ILL
ness. all came in turn to brighten or
darken his days. Eight years of II
whitened- his hair. racked his frame
and impaired his physical vigor. but
did not rust his mind.
! Characterized by his friends as
, much a wounded veteran of the world
war as If he had been shot In battle.
he went back to private life regarded
bv his partisans as living saerlnce
to his ideals.
Woodrow Wilson was not "eii
man when he took up the presidency
He was decidedly a sick man. He was
threatened with Bright's disease.
which physicians diagnosed as having
been brought about by a particular
treatment for frequent head colds to
, which he and the fi-st--Mrs. Wilson
| we're subject. The wife died soon
fter but his case yielded TO care:
Some years before that ME- VIII
son had suffered thrombosis. IN one
If his legs. It was the lodging or a
Hiond clot in an artery, but because
a., location not serious. 1t was.
Sen.r complaint Of the same ma
tmra which caused his breakdown IN
1o1o when the clot formed ON the
riebt side of his brain. impairing the
control of his left arm ana 1eE'
LITTLE known. also. Is the Iace .na
NJ wilson, like Mr.. Roosevelt, wa s
practically sightless IN . one IN ~ the
ives, Bursting blood vesseIs IN the
esst,no practically made 1t useless, al
tsamrh the impairment was In part
ouercome by the use Of eyeglasses. ne
or@ared also from nervous inolges-
tinn with a predisposition TO take
cnld easily added to this Ast OF
trnnhles. woodrow Wilson took up
the arduous duties, OF tne pIes,u etao :.
With Tar less physical equipment :tnan
~ nublic generally gave him credit
nnce in office the round OF complexi-
+tea which brought Mr.. Wilson praise
On one side and condemnation on the
other was not long In starting, and
like a. snow ball rolling down mn
continued to take on volume uh11i WI tte
day of his departure from the w mite
House. ?
ConsfAered. RelinquishinG ONCE.
Once. In the midst of his siege of
prostrat ton which accompanied the
frst stages of his present illness, he
debated with himself whether he
ought not to relirquish his office and
give way to successor. Later, Wnen
health had improved and the demo
cratic convention: at San Francisco
was balloting night and day to- agree
on a presidential nominee, Mr.. VIII
! son debated with himself whether ne
should be a candidate for a third
term It could not be said that either
subject reached the stage OF beln8
| considered" But 1t is known that
Mr.. Wilson gave the subjects some
These, with many; other things. form
| chapters of woodrow wilson's life
They would make "a volume of far
more Ankrossing reading than any
/, thing that ever had been written
| about him.
Such a volume might include the
inside" story of the break with Col
! House, his former CONFIDENTIAL ad-
wiser: It might tell how Mr., Wilson
! rousing M. Clemenceau. the French
! premier. from bed at 2 o'clock one
morning, practically charged the
J French delegates, With -tampering
! with the records Of the peace con.
ference proceedings. u -e.><
| It might tell how Mr.. Wilson made
| I'D his mind to fire; some other
| II Secretary Lansing but desisted
because. he said, 1t would only add to