Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-01
PEACE EFFORTS OF WILSON
BEGUN IMMEDIATELY AFTER
U.S.. ENTRY INTO WORLD WAR

| judgment and altogether against
the national interest to discuss
peace from any point of view if the
administration is brought in in any
way. 1t is perfectly evident to every
one that what Colonel House is at
tempting to do neither brings peace
nearer nor sets it further off, and
it is my stern and serious Judgment
that the whole matter ought to be
| let alone"
In that same autumn there began
! an undercurrent of criticism about
the conduct of the war. Early in
January. 1918, the author brought
to Mr.. Wilson'S attention the neces-
sity Of explaining to the public in
Il general way just what had been
done so that the morale of the coun'
try would be improved and the inn
| preston of chaos erased. Mr.. Viii
son said:
I'VE are working under the stern
est conditions that men ever worked
under since civilization began The
dutv of every man in the United
States Just now is to look at the facts
and not at the color which anybody
puts upon them, and look at the facts
with a view not to criticism but to
cooperation, to putting everything
before the public in a way which
! will help the public to help the ad-
minist1ation by straight thinking on
the actual facts,
THE plan you have in view seems
to me an excellent one of setting
forth Just how European conditions,
which have again and again under
gone Kaleidoscope change, neces-
sarily react upon our work and con-
dition it on every side.
Plans Often Changed
"Since our entrance into the
war we have had to change our
plans half dozen times upon earn
est representation upon the other
side as to radically altered condi-
tions. Unfortunately pot all of this
can be put into the public prints
because to do SO would reveal many
difficulties and disappontments on
the part of the allies which it is
not necessary or desirable that our
enemies should know but the work
of Interpretation should rest, it
seems to me, upon such statements
as he secretary of war made. AS
matter of fact all the data given in
that report was carefully gone over
by the house committee on military
affairs when considering the army
appropriation, but the whole scene
needed to be described in a single
statement, and the secretary of war
showed his admirable insight, ability
and candor, in the way in which he
did it,"
The statement to which Mr.. Will
son refers was made by Newton ID.
Baker, secretary of war, and reveal
cd the fact that the United States
had proceeded further along with
it's war mobilization than the public
had been led to believe by the at
tacks Of the critics. The discussion
of a war cabinet. indeed, the efforts
of certain senators to choose abb
net for Mr.. Wilson, seemed thereaft
er to lose momentum and the admin
iStratIOn went forward without EN-
barrassment in those early months
of 1918.
The attacks from the outside,
however, did not cease. The author
was preparing at the time an article
for the Saturday Evening Post show
ing how Woodrow Wilson was man
aging his job, but it is an interesting
fact that in the preparation of that
article MIR. Wilson was of little use
all the information about his ac-
Invites had to be obtained from mem
pers of the cabinet and others who
conferred with him.
In this connection Mr.. Wilson
said early in 1913
Il have been thinking a great
deal about your proposal of an ar
tCle about my executive work and
l find that | can't for the life Of
hi hat
would be striking and effective.
That is my trouble. The day seldom
seems impressive when summed up
because most of the questions which
! have decided come to me in the
form of memoranda to which | re
ply in writing. Interviews and con-
situations are chiefly with people
who need not have taken my time
and lead to nothing except the graf
ifIcatiOn on the part of those who
see me that they have had their
say.
Il am hopelessly useless for pub
Lefty purposes. | have long been
Convinced Of that 1T is true that l
am constantly playing a part in the
formation Of ell important decisions
which are formed in every branch
of the government war activities,
anu us peace dClINIllcSy lOp, IOl lIldl
matter, but after the work is done
l necessarily forget its details. If
you were to sit down with me and
pump me ! could NOT recall the par
ticulars or the conferences, or thu
methods.
Il do not think that the articles
of attack to which WI refer do any
particular harm. [ think the people
of the country are satisfied that |
ann keeping hold Of as much of the
job as is humanity possible"
The foregoing quotations are typ
zeal of many others. Mr.. Wilson
was not capable of self-advertise.
ment or self-eXpresslon though he
was a master of impersonal advo-
cacy of broad policies. He was no
publicity expert like Colonel ROOse-
welt. Woodrow Wilson never failed
to hold national attention on major
questions but in the technique Of
iteration he was a victim of self
consciousness and modesty.
Tomorrow chapter tells what
Influenced Mr.. Wilson to issue his
appeal in 1918 for Democratic
COngrJSS0
M Pc Dine ChnanIV