15 FEBRUARY 1919, Page 13

PRESIDENT WILSON ON HIMSELF.

(To vim EDITOR or THE "EirterscoR.1 Sim—In view of the fears expressed by some people as lo the attitude of President Wilson at the Peace Conference in regard to certain questions—for example, the " freedom of the seas"— the following extract from The New Freedom, consisting of addresses delivered by Mr. Wilson during his first Presidential campaign, may help to allay anxiety

"I don't want a smug lot of experts to sit down behind closed doors in Washington and play Providence to me. There in . Providence to which I am perfectly willing to submit. But es for other men setting up as Providence over myself, I seriously object. I have never met a political saviour in the flesh, and I never expect to meet one. I am reminded of Oelett Bargees•e Verses :—

' I never saw a purple cow, I never hope to see one.

Bat this I'll tell you anyhow, I'd rather see than be one.'

That is the way I feel about this saving of my fellow-country- men. I'd rather see a saviour of the United States than net up to be one; because I have found out, I have actually found out. that men I consult with know more than I do—especially if I consult with enough of them. I never came out of a com- mittee meeting or a conference without seeing more of the question that was tinder discussion that I had seen when I went in."—(Chapman and Hall, 1913, pp. 57-53.)