Life — August 17, 1916 — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“WHAT'S DA MATTER DA MONK?” subject, yet the Springfield Republican does Mr. Wilson no more than justice when it says that he “has grasped the underlying principle that we shall not have a permanently peaceful neighbor to the south of us until the most potent wrongs under which the masses of the Mexican people have suffered are righted through their own efforts.” Perhaps their own efforts will not suf- fice. They haven't yet, and the outlook is not good. But Mr. Wilson, in deal- ing with Mexico, has thought first of Mexico and her eventual welfare. His surgery may not have been as skilful as it should have been, but at least he has avoided sewing up a sponge in her wound. If it ever starts to heal, Mex- ico may make a real recovery. If our doctors eventually have to take charge of the case it will be in obvious despite of Mr. Wilson's desire to let nature take its course. One has to smile at Mr. Hughes’ ex- pedient of coming out for a federal amendment giving the vote to women. That may get him some votes, but it will make it easier for a good many doubtful voters to side against him. Even if he is elected there will still be a Congress and one Earth to give the necessary majority to a woman-suf- frage amendment. There is very little meat on this bone the Judge has passed up so politely to the ladies. Mr. Wil- son’s position is sounder, and he does wisely to stick to it. 2 OLKS have been prone to think and speak of Mr. Wilson as The Schoolmaster. That is all right; he is one, and not only that, but is himself a diligent learner, His great office has been to teach the people and especially the Democratic party. The Democrats, when he took office, did not know enough to run the coun- try properly. They were out of prac- tice; they were full of wild ideas; their leaders lacked sophistication. Nevertheless, they were the main de- pository of great political impulses that were driving towards changes necessary to the welfare of the coun- try. Mr. Wilson himself did not know enough to be President. pecially he lacked acquaintance with men and practice in dealing with them. But he trusted whom he dared to trust and got what help he could, some of it very useful. He schooled himself and schooled his party. He made Con- gress his kindergarten, using Repub- licans to perfect his bills and inducing his Democrats to pass them. What 275 he got out of his first Congress was wonderful. When the war in Europe came it brought him a tremendous situation, crammed full of novelties, with Bryan in the State Department. It is non- sense to say he made a mess of it. He was a green hand at world crises. Perhaps Roosevelt or the Archangel Michael might have done better for us, but neither of them was President. Mr. Wilson was President. He had to get along with the war, and he did. Mr. Hughes, or anyone else who un- dertakes to persuade the voters tha’ Mr. Wilson and the Democrats have seriously misconducted our count in its relations with Europe in the last two years, has got a much bigger job on his hands than can be done in twelve weeks. It may be that we have neg- lected our duty and will have to an- swer for it. As to that, time and noth- ing else will tell, Meanwhile the mass of the voters don’t think so. They won't turn Mr, Wilson out because he has failed the country in his dealings with Europe. The education of the Democrats in federal government has made the country safer. It is not safe when either of the two great parties con- tains too large a proportion of wild asses. After three years and a half of Mr. Wilson's studies and pedagogi- cal labors we have a C: member of which habitually wears both a collar and a necktie. The Su- preme Court has three Wilson ap- pointees under training, with fair prospects that a majority of them will become competent judges. Grape juic has ceased to be a great national topic of discussion; nearly all congressmen wear socks, and the virtuous aversion of even Texas and Arkansas to even- ing dress is perceptibly undermined. Free silver is dead; Mr. Bryan is back on the platform, where he he- longs; we have got an army and a proper navy coming, and a lot of good improvements, like the currency system, in successful process of try- ing out. ' These are great and important ad- vances. It is not so bad, after all, to have a Schoolmaster for President when what the country needs most of anything is to be taught.