The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-02-04
Pathos Fills
Last Years
of Wilson
After Intensely Active Life as
World Figure, Chained
by Disease to
Seclustion.
Confident Of Vindication

Washington, Feb. 3.-After Wood
row Wilson left the White House to
1921, he took to the life of retired
until death.
He lived alone with his wife in a
comparatively modest home for a man
of his place. and maintained most of
the time a modest establishment of
three servants and a used car.
His daily routine was modelled on
TIL. eight.hour day which e once
told congress was "adjudged by the
thought and experience of recent
years, thing upon which society is
justified In insisting in the interest
Of health, efficiency and content
ment." He always said grace before
meals even in the days when life was
at a low ebb and he had to steady
himself on the back of his dining
chair and whisper the words. He
never failed before closing his ewes.
for what he knew always might be
the last time, to read aloud a few
verses from the Bible which lay on
the table at his bedside.
Confident OF VindicatiOn.
His daily mail was a heavy one.
Old friends discoursed on the politics
of the day and criticized the republi-
can administrations; cranks cluttered
his mall box with pleas for financial
aid, endorsement for this, that, or the
other movement; hundreds afflicted
with his malady wanted to know the
details of the treatment his physi-
clans gave him. Mr.. Wilson answer
ed most letters himself; directed a
secretary how to answer others and
always signed all himself.
He read tho newspapers with avid
ity, was abreast of world affairs and
we'd confident in the conviction that
the principles he espoused would be
accepted In the end.
Fighting for life day by day Wood
row Wilson realized he lived in the
presence Of death. A man of his age,
stricken with a similar ailment-par-
alysis and general breakdown-seldom
lives long. The best medical skill,
careful nursing and the constant at
tention of a devoted wife, however,
heightened his span OF life toward
most ardent well wishers had not
dared to hope.
Gained Fortune During Presidency.
Mr.. Wilson took a modest fortune
with him from the White House and
although he never earned any money
hi he 20
live comfortably, but carefully on his
capital. When he came to Washing
ton from the governorship OF New
Jersey he brought with him a few
thousand dollars in savings well in
vested. His salary as an educator was
never large and his pay as governor
was also small. He had been rails
ing a family of girls, and although
he had written many books, his royal
ties were desultory. When he came
into salary of $4,000 a year--the
largest he ever had received--years OF
thrift asserted themselves and he
saved money. Royalties from his
writings jumped suddenly and tremen-
dously because his books came into
great demand.
Social activities at the White
House were discontinued because OF
the war and he saved a great part
OF his salary. 1t was estimated that
when he left the White House, Wood
row Wilson was worth more than a
quarter of million dollars.
Mrs. Wilson had a modest fortune
Of her own before her marriage.
Quiet Interest In Politics.
Nobody ever knew completely what
his feelings were for politics during
his retirement. He took no active
part, but there were sometimes indi-
cations that those close to him were
urging him to do so. He once asked
his medical advisers IL they thought
he could undertake a campaign and
was advised that a political melee
would surely kill him. Apparently.
he gave up the thought II, indeed, he
had any, and contented himself with
expressing himself on political ques-
tions when asked by some correspon-
cont. lie never lost an opportunity
however, to DROP a bombshell on some
offieeseeker running for reelection
who had failed to support his policies
while he was in the White House.
on some few occasions he acknowl-
edged the plaudits OF admirers who
gathered In the street In front OF his
home and he delivered one address by
radio, but he made few public ap-
l,earanees. The most notable OF the
latter were at the services for the
unknown soldier and at President
Ilarding's funeral ceremonies.
Besieged to write his memoirs, or
his own account of the peace treaty
fight, or anything else for that
matter, Mr.. Wilson always declined,
except In one or two instances. He
spent a good deal OF the time writing,
propped up in bed, after the habit
of Mark Twain, but 1t was not what
publishers were asking for. All his
material on the peace treaty he gave
tn Ray Stannard Baker, with per-
mission to write what he would,