Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-26
The True Story of
Woodrow Wilson
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

inclinations" and Of wanting to impair
the natural democracy of Princeton. He
saw what in politics might have been
called the vested interests crushing
out those who would invade exclusive
ness. Enmities developed which to his
dying day were not forgotten.
Liked Old World System.
One might have imagined from a
reading Of the diatribes OF both sides
In that controversy that Princeton was
unlike other colleges, yet, indeed. 1t had
social system admittedly more ad-
vanced than some of it's rivals with the
Greek-letter fraternities. DR.. Wilson's
ambition nevertheless was to make of
Princeton an institution rivaling the
universities of the old world. To him
Oxford and Cambridge were productive
OF more serious minded students He
saw no objection in creating artificial
social units. To him college was not
social club but place for earnest
study with the social side an incidental
consideration. To bring teacher and
student. into social relationship was his
aim. but the American youth. his op-
ponents said. wanted to choose his own
social companions and did not relish
the constant presence OF his masters
So the battle ragged. when on top of
it all there suddenly broke out another
controversy. Princeton had always
wanted greater graduate school. Two
plans had been submitted, one by Dean
Andrew +. West. providing for the
building Of a college about mile away
from the university and subject to
separate administration, and the other
by DR.. Wilson whereby the Graduate
College would remain an integral part
Of the university itself.
The bitterness of the Quad" dis
pute persisted and almost the same
linas OF cleavage developed In the
faculty and the alumni and the board
of trustees. Grover Cleveland had been
elected a member of the board of
trustees shortly after he took up his
residence in Princeton. Dean Andrew
F. West of the Graduate School was
instrumental in bringing Mr.. Cleveland
to live In Princeton. They were fast
friends. AS next door neighbors they
saw a good deal Of each other. Dean
West was DR.. Wilson's principal OPP
ponent. Grover Cleveland imbibed
many of Dean Vests ideas; in fact,
Mr.. Cleveland was a member of the
special committee of the board of
trustees charged with the problem of
planning greater Graduate School.
Woodrow Wilson as presiding officer
of the board Of trustees had occasion
more than once to clash with Mr..
Cleveland.
Attacked by Grover Cleveland.
At one historic meeting Mr.. Cleve-
land delivered a bitter attack on DR..
Wilson's proposals. DR.. Wilson stood
for a minute with flashing eyes but
controlled the temper within him.
You will live to regret what you
have said," he remarked bluntIy and
turned to the discussion of other mat
tiers.
When Grover Cleveland died, in the
summer Of 1908, Woodrow Wilson was
In Europe on q bicycling trip through
England and Scotland. On his return
in the autumn there was a noticeable
omission of any reference in DIR. Will
sons speech at the opening of the uni
versity to the death Of Grover Cleve-
ercises. 1t caused talk. 1t was charac-
teristic Of Woodrow Wilson. He law
ished no praise where at heart he felt
he could sincerely give none. He rare
ly If ever mentioned Grover Cleveland
in public addresses. Although Mr..
Cleveland was the last President Of the
United States who had been elected on
the democratic ticket, and although the
latter retained a large measure of popu-
larity with the democrats of the ma
ton, Woodrow Wilson never sought to
win the Cleveland democrats as a lega-
tee of Princeton affiliations.
Only once did Woodrow Wilson fear
that his relationship with Grover
Cleveland might work to his disadvan-
tage politically. Grover Cleveland had
written a letter to DR.. Henry Van Dyke,
then professor of English literature in
Princeton University, denouncing DR..
Wilson and calling him man of IAN
ungovernable temper The republican
session of that letter. hoping to have
it published so as to wean away the
Cleveland followers in the democratic
party and as an index to the Wilson
character.
DR.. Henry Van Dyke never gave I'D
the letter. Woodrow Wilson and DR..
Henry Van Dyke had had some differ
ences Of opinion on the graduate school
question, but DR.. Van Dyke refused to
be party in Gov. Wilson's political
downfall On the contrary. he was one
of the first of the Princeton group to
come out in support Of Gov. Wilson'S
candidacy for the presidency Of the
United States. Woodrow Wilson never
forgot that. He later chose Henry Van
Dyke to be minister of the United
States to the Netherlands. a post at
which he acquitted himself with par
ticular skill in the trying days Of neu-
trality from 1914 to 1917
Copyright, 1924, by the George q. Doran
Company, in the United States, Canada, South
America. World publication rights reserved
by Current News Features. Incorporated.)
TOmOrr0w's chapter tells how
Woodrow Wilson was forced out of
Princeton University and into politics,
SPECIAL NOTICES.