The Washington times., 1925-04-06

the. child, writing the log Of the
Avenger instead Of wrestling
with the barn.loft gang in his
alley; little Tommy Wilson seated
alone. aloof, as the soldiers pass;
little Tommy Wilson in the
grove back OF the ,lmanse play
ing with elf folk and the fairies.
Behold now the grown up, the
hypnotist, the world wizard! This
high dream of peace. that he
fabricked. upon the anvil of a
three,year's debate with the con.
tenders for a feudal world in the
agony Of its death struggle, was
perhaps the embryo plan OF a
new order, entering the womb OF
time to be born in another and
brighter day; even as the blood
of the Irish and the environment
OF America planted in Tommy
Wilson's soul the lovely things
which his childhood knew.
Exalted and Happy.
He appeared there, that first
day Of his new term, before the
people, exalted, happy; pleasure
rejecting from his gaunt face,
out OF his bright eyes and out of
!, q cOuScCFdlO0 SOuAs tOCWAlCACO Ny
his own speIl. He was on = ris-
ing tide that day. Much that fol.
lowed in the four years ahead Of
J him took him to higher places
and greater estates, but in that
day there bef6re his people en-
tering upon his new term, Wood
row Wilson saw the largest tour
that ever came to him at nome.
W
ernment put armed guards upon
all American vessels sailing
through the. war zone. Those
We're hard days for the Allies;
their low tide. America was com.
ing in, but slowly. The Russian
Car had abdicated. sOn March
the new revolutionary govern
ment OF Russia-the Kerensiy
government. Closer and closer TO
America came the necessity OF
war. Probably. even to the last
the President dreaded the declara.
ton, postponed it, hoping against
hope that it might not come.
The Tirst phase Of his resQund-
ing debate with the @erman i'm
perial government had about
he felt definitely that the end of
peace was at hand. He was rest
less in his bed, got up, went out
on the south veranda OF the
White House. took his little type
writer with him. Mrs. Wilson
heard him, and quietly went to
the kitchen, put q bowl Of milk
and crackers by his side and left
him. There in the early morning
he wrote his war note. All day it
was with him, and he considered
it carefully, perhaps changing 1t
here and there as men do who
hold an important manuscript
with them during many hours of
crisis.
Read His War Message,
The next day woodrow Wilson
appeared before Congress and
read his war message. 1t was g.
gorgeous spectacle. America rare
Iy has seen such pomp-the Con-
gress, the court, the army, the
navy. the dip10mats-tall hats,
gold braid, and much tinsel. So
the new phase Of the debate with
Germany began.
To the actual administrative
business Of conducting the war,
President Wilson gave his whole
physical strength. There was
good woodrow executive ability
IN him, but 1t was the kind or
executive ability which does too
much personally and trusts TOO
little to others. Wilson always
was in danger or becoming
stamp-licking, office-sweeping ex-
ecutive.
During the war he might ap-
pear any day at the War Depart
ment; a stern, unsmiling Wood
row. soaring the daylights out
OF the desk men as he passed
along; standing over this man
moment, looking critically at
things the grim man understood
but poorly; passing across the
room to another and frightening
him into chills; and so on through
the department. trailing terror in
his wake. The merry heart that
made the Wilson countenance
glad to his friends did not shine
Gin his face often in public places
in those war days.
Punctdal Until IL Hurt.
He was a quiet. Woodworking
woodrow, punctual until it hurt.
exacting. often cruel. and some.
times futile, even fatuous in his
deadly desire to do the exact and
proper thing in narrowing circum-
stances. Congress .obeyed him
with almost nnanilkin response to
his wishes. And when the Presi-
dent demanded the Selectiye Ser
vice Act to raise ten mdllion troops
IL they were needed, Congress gave
it to him with but a spasm Of
protest. He selected General
Pershing and gave him unbroken
support
Behind the caravan of war.
wherein we had millions in arms.
Of course came the camp follow.
ers, the plunderers, the panderers,
and the commercial harlots with
their blandishing intriques. It
was horrible. But war is hell,
and when one goes to war one
meets horror. Seeing some OF
these horrors, realizing them all,
it is no wonder that the Woodrow
in the Presidents chair turned a
fierce and unlovely face to the
wOrld.
But another President also sat
there, the son Of Joseph Ruggles
Wilson, who was conducting
greater war n0ra inyinoilNIa