Evening star., 1924-02-02

Of his critics for once and all. Tho
seiective service act-compulsory
military service-something which
under the dread term of "conscrip-
racies of the world to their founda-
tionS was recommended by him with
suudenness that made. everybody
gasp. But 1t enabled America. TO
put 100000 men into Europe and
turn the tide OF battle toward the
ultimate victory. .'
1t was Woodrow Wilson who from
the first fought for unity Of command
on land and sea and the brushing
aside of technical sovereignty in the
interest OF self-preservation Of the
allied peoples.
His influence in the scales made
Foch the generalissimo and enabled
the fleets of the allies to be combined
for effective operation under the Brit
ish high command.
their worries and burdens that his
friends thought would break him
down were weathered .triumphantly,
but he set sail for the peace con-
ference with a heart saddened by the
loss OF both houses of Congress after
ocratic Congress. He had been think
ing OF the partisan attack behind
his back In the war days. He was
partisan too. His appeal for a
democratic Congress was based upon
the belief that he would be able the
better to make peace. His opponents
construed his statement as re-
f1ection on their patriotism. His ad-
visers and friends begged him to deny
1t and set the country straight.
he never changed a syllable of the
statement. He never made a public
comment on the verdict. He felt that
II the republican Congress would give
him the proper cooperation in MAX
ing peace the result would speak
for itself-it would prove that he
was wrong. If the republican Con-
gress blocked his peace efforts, as he
predicted. the country would know
why he appealed for q democratic
Congress.
Convinced BY Later Events.
The events that followed convinced
Mr. Wilson that the republicans would
league Of nations and tho peace
treaty and he was still so confident
Of the opinion of the American people
that he wanted a referendum in the
But Mr.. Wilson's precepts Of govern
ment. his theories of parliamentary
government. and the practical side Of
American politics, especially in a
presidential year, were at variance.
including Elihu Root, Charles Evans
Hughes and Herbert Hoover, inter-
preted the republican national plat
form Of 1920 and the views of War
1sn aarddinE the repu6Iiean prssidsn
for Harding was "a vote for the
league with reservations" When the
victory Of the republicans was won they
promptly repudiated that position and
the first inaugural address the repub=
ltcan president announced his inten-
tion of keeping America outside the
league of nations either with or with
out reservations.
Hoped for vindication.
And even on top Of that Woodrow
Wilson hoped for Tndication in 1924.
candidates. None but James NJ. Cox
has been mentioning the league of
nations, but the removal Of Woodrow
Wilson from the political stage will
william Gibbs McAdoo, son-in-l law
Of Woodrow Wilson, has publicly de-
clared for the Box peace plan. which
provides for entry Of the United
States into the league OF nations
safeguards on American sovereignty
and independence. Mr.. McAdoo may
or may not be heir to the Wilson
strength in the United States. but he
has already I'm tnd,satsd t,;a his Willingness
+ woodrow Wilson never sanctioned
his laws presidential ambi-
tions. He never committed himself,
50 far as any one knows, to any man
for 1924, but he has been looking
hopefully to the democratic national
in June to adopt a plat
form which will keep alive the WILL
sonian view OF foreign policy.
Picture OF Tragedy.
Only a few weeks ago the members
OF the democratic national commit
tee passed in silent procession before
the ex-President at his home. His
haggard face, his feeble body loosely
draping an armchair' MS smile Of
made q picture of never-to-be-for-
gotten tragedy. But he would resent
that word. 1t was but his farewell
counsel to his party-he had never
surrendered. -.