WILSON, THOMAS WOODROW

(1856), Amer. statesman and author, twenty-eighth president of the U.S.; 6. Staunton, Virginia, the son of a Presb. minister; studied law at the University of Virginia, and practised at Atlanta, Georgia (1882-3); gave up law for scholarship, and became a ociate prof. of history at Bryn Mawr till 1888; from 1889 to 1902 was prof. of jurisprudence and politics at Princeton, and was then elected the first non-clerical president of the univ. In 1910 he was elected governor of New Jersey, and did much to purify politics in that state. In 1912 he was elected president of the U.S. For legislation pa ed and foreign relations during his term of office, see under UNITED STaTEs, When the World War broke out President Wilson at once proclaimed U.S. neutrality, and expre ed his desire to be of service in the restoration of peace. The sinking of the Lusitania, on May 7, 1915, led to a spirited correspondence between the U.S. and Germany on the subject of the right of a belligerent nation to conduct naval warfare without regard to the safety of neutrals and non-combatants. This was conducted on the Amer. side by the president personally. In spite of Germany’s a urances, trouble continued over submarine warfare; and as the chances of America being brought into the war in spite of herself became more probable, the president forcibly advocated legislation which would make for a stronger national defence. In 1916 he was re-elected president, and in an addre to Congre in Jan. 1917, though America was apparently just on the verge of making war with Germany, he stated that a termination of the war was to be looked for without the victory of one side or the other—a statement which aroused a storm of protest both in America and abroad. Diplomatic relations with Germany were broken off on Feb. 3, 1917, and, again on the president’s initiative, much war legislation was pa ed, the man-power, financial resources, and industries of the country being mobilized to produce their maximum effect, so that, though there were delays and disappointments, by the summer of 1918 America was able to supply the men so urgently needed on the battlefields of Europe. On June 8, 1918, President Wilson made a famous speech before Congre , in which he laid down the celebrated ‘fourteen points,’ which he considered should be the basis of peace with Germany. The most noteworthy’of these points were the following: (a) Open covenants of peace and no secret diplomacy; (6) absolute freedom of navigation in peace and war Outside territorial waters, except for international action which may close certain seas; (c) removal as far as posquate guarantees for the reduction of national armaments; (e) complete restoration of Belgium in full and free sovereignty; (f) all Fr. territory to be freed, and the wrong done by Pru ia regarding Alsace-Lorraine to be righted; (9) readjustment of Ital. frontiers on lines of nationality; (h) an a ociation,Of nations affording guarantees of politi- €al and territ or i cal independence for all states. After the Armistice he visited England vand Italy, and cabied asking Congre to vote an appropriation of 100,000,000 dollars for the relief of the starving liberated peoples of Europe. By Jan. 25, 1919, the Peace Conference declared \in favor of a Leacum or Nations, and a commi ion was set up, with President Wilson as chairman, to draft a constitution. The proposed League aroused great opposition in the U.S., and hostility growing in intensity, Mr. Wilson decided to return to that country, where he delivered a speech on the subject at Boston, and discu ed it with the members of the Foreign Relations Committees. He returned to France in March, and remained engaged in work at the Conference till June. Meanwhile, attacks on the Peace Treaty and League of Nations continued, and the president determined to tour the country and bring before the people directly his appeal for ratification of the treaty, This effort, following on his exertions during the war, caused a serious brealxdown in health, from which recovery was very protracted. The last year of his presidency was in consequence not marked by the forcefulne which was 60 prominent a feature of its earlier years. His term of office as president ended on March 4, 1921. He formed a law partnership with Bam bridge Colby, for the practice ot international law, but failure to recovel his strength prevented active Darticipation in affairs. He spent his time quietly in his home in Washington occasionally consulting with politic a leaders, and from time to time taking part by writing letters on politic a questions. He remained the most con: spicuous member of his party.