Evening star., 1924-02-04
Woodrow Wilson.

the country and upon the course Of
world affairs has passed from life.
Woodrow Wilson, eight years Presi-
dent of the United States, in time
of the most stirring events. has after
an illness of several years. begun dur
ing his latter months in office, the
direct result, it is believed. of his de-
votion to the arduous duties of his
position, yielded to death.
Mr.. Wilson suddenly became a
political quantity. He was an edu-
Gator of high eminence, head of q
great university, when his name was
hrst brought forward as presidential
possibility. He was elected, upon re-
tirement from his university position,
to the governorship of New Jersey,
where he served ably and with con-
spicuous success. 1t was his good for
tune to become Il candidate for the
presidency at a time of wide division
IN the ranks of the party that had
been in the ascendancy for several
years. The republican split of 1912
opened the way to the White House
for him. He was overwhelmingly
elected, and took office at time of
peace in the world. Within seventeen
months the crash occurred in Europe
and war ragged as never before.
That was a crisis such as, save per-
haps in the case of Lincoln, no Ameri-
can had ever before faced in the eX-
ecutive office. The war was not Amer
ica'S direct concern. But inevitably
and directly this country was affected
Mr.. Wilson kept us out of war; for
two and half years, marked by the
most difficult and dangerous problems
arising from the turmoil abroad. Then
that happened which was destined,
and the United States was compelled
to take up arms in it's own defense
and for the sake of it's highest prin-
ciples.
Mr.. Wilson conducted the war. for
this country. with vigor and with a
singfe-hearted devotion to the object
, Of gaining victory with the least sacri-
flee of life. He organized war
making agency with patriotic disre-
gard for political considerations. To
him America was the stake, and he
served America faithfully and ably.
Then came victory. and with vic
tory came problems such as the world
had never before known, problems of
adjustment. Conspicuously among the
statesmen of the world Woodrow Will
son was in n position to contribute to
their solution. He elected to go in per-
son to the peace table in Paris. His
decision was fraught with peril. 1t
involved a heavy physical sacrifice
and manifold dangers. But he was in
spired with ideals for the good of hui
manity, and putting aside all con-
siderations of his own welfare he went
to the front, in soldier fashion, and
did his utmost to bring about a set
tIement that would leave the world
secure from repetitions of the horror
and waste of war. He took with him
to Paris plan for universal arbitra-
ment of disputes, for a league of the
nations founded upon justice and
righteousness.
The treaty of Versailles was writ
ten, in large measure. in accord with
Mr.. Wilson's conceptions of the essen
tialS of future peace. 1t contemplated
the participation of the United States
in a war-preventing organization. The
treaty failed of ratification by the
American Senate, on the ground that
it placed this country in a position of
risk to itself and weakened the inde-
pendence of America from the politi-
cal intrigues of the old world.
Mr.. Wilson took the field for the
treaty, went forth to the country as
its champion, seeking to arouse the
American people to demand the. rati-
f1cation of the covenants by which the
United States would become a mem-
ber of the league Of nations His ef-
forts were not availing. His appeals
failed to evoke the enthusiasm for
which he had hoped. The people We're
saddened by the war, shocked by it's
losses, sorrowing for their sacrifices.
They were in no mood to'take the risk
Of involvement in European quarrels
for the sake of interposing q positive
check upon the war-making enterprise
Of foreign governments.
Whether it was the disappointment
which he must have felt over the
failure of the people to respond to his
appeal or the direct exhaustion of his
forces incident to this strenuous en-
deavor or the final surrender of
long-taXed system, strained by the tire.
mendous exertions of many months,
that caused his physical breakdown
may not be ever known. He fell, how
ever, in the ranks. soldier for peace
who gave himself unstintedly and
coura geously and faithfully for a
cause in which he passionately be-
lieved.
Estimates of Woodrow Wilson as
statesman and executive, as patriot
and as worker for world peace, will
perhaps vary with the partisan views
Of men. But there will be no dissent
from the verdict that he was a great
American, with the highest ideals,
with remarkable equipment for the
position which he occupied, including
an intellectual qualification such as
few, If any, other Of the American
Presidents have ever possessed.
Woodrow Wilson honored the Office
which he held for the longest term
possible in the American system, and
he will be mourned by the American
people without regard for party and