Evening star., 1924-03-09
CHAPTER XIV.

Why Mr.. Wilson Chose Bryan as Sec
retary of Stnte-The Beginnings of
Currency Legislation.
1t was while Mr.. Wilson was in
Bermuda that he encountered his first
bit of world diplomacy. The British
government maintains at Bermuda a
governor general, who was instructed
on that occasion to extend every hos
pitality to the President-elect. Just
what instructions beyond that were
given him is a matter which is known
only, of course, to the British govern
ment. but in any event the governor
general took occasion during one of
his social chats with Mr.. Wilson to
discuss the status of the Panama
canal tolls controversy, pointing out
the hope of Great Britain that Mr..
Wilson might be able to bring about
a reversal of the action Of Congress
In exempting American vessels from
the payment of Panama canal tolls
and thus discriminating against Brit
ish vessels which had been guaran-
teed equal treatment under the Hay
Pauntefote treaty.
Woodrow Wilson had an opportu-
nifty to discuss the same question
with Ambassador James Bryce before
u.
profound admiration for Mr.. Bryce,
begun in Princeton days, when the
noted ambassador had visited there.
Valued British Support.
MIR. Wilson was cognizant of the
value of British support as opposed to
British hostility in world affairs, but
he was much more impressed by the
= fact that the Hay-Pauncefote treaty
seemed to give Great Britain rights
which the act of Congress had taken
away. Mr.. Wilson knew also that the
slightest indication of American
friendship for Great Britain would ir-
rltate the IriSh-Americans and would
cause. Germany to look askance at
American policy, a reflex of which
might be German-American opposi-
ton Indeed Mr.. Wilson's fears were
fully confirmed on these two points
few months later when he asked
Congress to repeal the law that had
been passed in previous session by
: which American vessels had been ex-
empted from the payment OF tolls.
Count Won Bernstein, the German am
oassador, realized that a victory for
President Wilson in the circum-
stances would be construed abroad
as the growth of an entente between
the United States and Great Britain.
ne worked tooth and nail to defeat
the purposes of Mr. Wilson.
AS 1t happened, the President ELECT
little dreamed while he was in Ber-
muda of the far-reaching Importance
of the Panama canal tolls controversy
on world diplomacy. His decision to
make the appeal in behalf of Great
Britain on the ground that a treaty
had been violated was a momentous
one as will appear in subsequent ex-
position of the Wilson foreign policy.
But even though Mr. Wilson real
1zed and feared that he would be con-
tronted with important questions of
foreign policy he did not think they
would become paramount. His mind
was fixed during the Bermuda vaca-
tion on the all-absorbing task Of
picking cabinet.
Task of Cabinet Making.
Should its members be political
leaders chosen for their influence in
Congress or should they be trusted
personal friends of proved competence
and administrative talent? He frank
iy discussed the two theories, but
gave TO indication at the time as to
which he preferred. Circumstances
he rea lied. would control the ulti-
mate decision and he was enough of
student of practical politics TO real
fze that he must give weight to po-
hticai considerations if he expected
to win the n cessary support for a
Legislative program in Congress-
To all the talk that there would be
friction between himself and Champ
Clark, the Speaker of the House, or
Oscar W. Underwood. the majority
leader, there came from Mr. Wilson
unequivocal predictions to the con-
trary. He scented mischief makers,
but gave evidence that he would go
more than half way to meet the
wishes of congressional leaders
Posi- blY nobody in Amarica raal-