The Washington times., 1924-06-05
WILSON R|SKED
DEATH FOR
LEAGUE
Admiral 0ra9son Says Late
President Knew Campaign
Might Cause Death
Continued from First I'age.)

Continued from First Page)
more practicable illustration of
how a person under medical ad.
vice can regulate his daily life so
as to permit him to give full scope
to all the powers conferred on him
by nature than that furnished by
the man with whom had the
privilege of being in intimate re-
lationship for eleven years." said
Doctor Grayson.
Obeyed Simple Health Laws.
During the eight years that
Woodrow Wilson occupied the
White House he worked as few
Presidents have worked and bore
burdens such as few men are called
upon to shoulder. The remarkable
thing in the case Of Mr.. Wilson 10
not that he broke down finally.
but that with a constitution by
no means strong and bearing q
burden fit to kill physical giant.
he kept well by obedience to the
simple laws Of health.
-Four features of his life and
personality kept him going under
conditions that would have soon
exhausted the powers Of younger
and stronger men. These four
things were: System, exercise,
sense Of humor and proper food.
Assumed Too Heavy a Burden.
"If President Wilson 10 to be
held up as a model Of healthy Ilv-
ing, how did he happen to lose his
life ? 1t Is a natural question, and
1 will answer 1t honestly. When
President Wilson took his seat at
tho peace conference he was sixty
two years old. His whole previous
life had been moderate and care
fully regulated. Had he considered
his health, had he put prudence and
caution first, he would never have
embarked for Europe on December
4, 1918. Then and there he DELHI
erately neglected his health. Then
end there he deliberately refused
to obey his physician and the laws
of health which he himself SO well
understood.
when President Wilson, in
August, 1919, was planning his can-
paign throughout the country in
support of the League of Nations,
I had a plain talk with him as his
medical adviser and urged him on
the grounds of health not to take
the trip. had been constantly at
his side in England, France, Italy
as we'll as in this country. I knew
perfectly the strain that he had un-
dergone. l remembered how, while
abroad, he had to modify his usual
health habits, giving up golf and
walking for a short daily drive in
an automobile, and how he devoted
to his plans and conferences and
deep thought the hours usually
sacred to repose.
Saw Him Deeply Moved.
II had seen him in the hospitals,
| where our wounded soldiers lay,
and had sensed the exhausting eff
feet OF the emotions on his out.
wardly undemonstrative but deep
| ly sympathetic nature. Never can
forget his silence when he stood
for the first time-he the fluent
speaker, not daring to trust him
self to say a word-before a sol
der who had lost his sight in
battle. The President only wrung
the soldiers hand and passed on but
the man asked the nurse afterward
why the President had held his
hand so long, gripped it so long
and said nothing.
| I'm another ward remember a
splendid specimen of physical de-
Velopment who stood on crutches
at attention for commander.in. chief
The President had been struck by
the large number of patients he
saw everywhere bereft of arms
and legs and he asked the hand
some fellow how he he accounted
for 1t. Those who were shot
higher up are not here" was the
significant answer. saw the
Presidents lip CULVER and he passed
on down the line.
Ready to Offer His Life.
These things told on President
wilson and they worked his soul
up to passionate pitch of reso-
luton. When urged upon him
to forego this canvass Of the coun.
try he told me that no personal
consideration could divert him. /
vividly remember our final talk on
the subject in his study in the
Whlte House. / had made my final
protest against the trip across the
continent, He replied, You must
remember that those soldiers whom
as commander.in-ch sent to
europe did not turn back when
they met the crucial test in the
trenches; nor can l turn back now.
cannot put my personal safety
or my health In the balance
against my duty. / must 60 He
walked to the window looking out
toward the Washington Monument
ana stood silent for some time,
Wnen he turned pack to me his
iace was gray and very grave. AND
! thought l saw a film of moisture
IN ms eyes. But / knew the deci
sioI MAD been made. There was
"o.n'hg more for me to saw.
:, AS matter Of health nraoou.
IlOn' or health insurance for him.
, ser President Wilson should not
nave gone to Europe, and after.
wards he should not have gone all
over the United States. He knew
the price he was going to nav, hut
no man could stop him.
II you choose deliberately ba.
tween health and sacrifices to duty
as you see it--as Woodrow Wilson
saw tt cannot blame YOU.
A Noble Choice.
;. Perhaps 1t Is a sad choice. but
ls noble choice. But IL YOU
We're 10 choose between health and
mere self'indulgence, or mere care.
tessness can only call your choice
.oohsn, l have used the case of
WI wilson as an illustration of
the problem of preventive medicine
as applied to the individuals. |
nave wanted to make the point
concrete and so I have told you a
niue ABOUT q most eminent indi.
! vidual who co-oneratod ,,,;th III.