FREE ESSAY ON WOODROW WILSON

WOODROW WILSON

Thomas Woodrow Wilson, twenty-eighth president of the United States, might have suffered
from dyslexia. He never could read easily, but developed a strong power of concentration
and a near-photographic memory. The outbreak of World War I coincided with the death of
Wilson's first wife Ellen Axson, who he was passionately devoted to. Seven months after
her death his friends introduced him to Edith Bolling Galt, a descendant of the Indian
princess Pocahontas, they were married nine months later. By 1912 times were good for
most Americans. Farmers were enjoying their most prosperous period in living memory, the
cost of living rose slightly, unemployment was lower than it had been for several years,
and working conditions were improving. By 1913 when Wilson was inaugurated, American
industries were in a flood of consumer goods, including automobiles, telephones, and
movies. However, Wilson almost did not appear on the presidential ballot, the leading
contender for the Democratic nomination was House Speaker Champ Clark. It took 46 ballots
before the delegates swung to Wilson. In the election, the Republicans were split between
Taft and Roosevelt, almost guaranteeing a Democratic, and Wilson victory. He sought ways
to build patriotism and to reshape the federal government to govern the nation more
effectively. Wilson was a conservative, in his books and articles, he often displayed
hostility to reformers and rebels. Although Woodrow Wilson is mostly remembered for his
success in foreign affairs, his domestic reform and leadership abilities are notable as
well. Commemorated by the public mainly for his success in guiding the nation during it's
first great modern war, World War I, for getting out of the Mexico/Philippine muddle
inherited from ex-president Taft, and for his dream of ending the threat of future wars
through the League of Nations, Wilson is also admired for his domestic successes, which
represented the Progressive Era of reform. Diplomatically, as well as domestically these
events illustrate Wilsons competent leadership skill. 
Woodrow Wilsons nomination was strongly opposed by the progressives but he eventually
passed much of their domestic reforming legislation. The progressive movement backed by
Wilson called for some government control of industry and for regulation of railroad and
public utilities. Among its other goals were the adoption of primary elections and the
direct election of United States senators. Wilson called Congress into special session to
consider a new tariff bill, he personally delivered his legislative request to Congress.
Moved by Wilson's aggressive leadership, the House swiftly passed the first important
reform measure, the Underwood Tariff Bill of 1913, which significantly reduced the tariff
for the first time in many years and reflected a new awareness that American businesses
were now powerful enough to compete in the markets of the world. In the end the Underwood
Tariff had nothing to do with trade but the importance was the income tax provision
(later the 16th amendment) which would replace the revenue lost when duties were reduced.
It also showed that America was powerful enough to compete without protection from the
government. 
As Congress debated the tariff bill, Wilson presented his program for reform of the
banking and currency laws. The nations banking system was outdated, unmanageable, and
chaotic. To fix this Wilson favored the establishment of a Federal Reserve Board with
presidentally appointed financial experts. The Board would set national interest rates
and manage a network of twelve major banks across the country. These banks, which would
issue currency, would in turn work with local banks. Congress passed the Federal Reserve
act basically in the form the President had recommended. Amendments also provided for
exclusive governmental control of the Federal Reserve Board and for short term
agricultural credit through the reserve banks. This was one of the most notable domestic
achievements of the Wilson administration which modernized the nations banking and
currency systems, laying the basis for federal management of the economy and providing
the legal basis for an effective national banking system. The final major item on Wilsons
domestic agenda was the reform of big business. Big businesses worked against the public
by fixing prices and restraining competition. Business and politics worked together, and
Wilson sought to stop that. Determined to accept big business as an inevitable, but to
control its abuses and to maintain an open door of opportunity for the genius which
springs up from the ranks of unknown men,1 Wilsons hoped to curb big business. He thought
that government should intervene in the regulation of business, and that it was essential
to control corporate behavior to prevent corporations from stifling opportunities for
creative and ambitious people. Business consolidation was inevitable and might be
beneficial, yet he insisted that great corporations behave in the public interest: These
were the balances Wilson sought to achieve and maintain. Our laws are still meant for
business done, by individuals that have not been satisfactorily adjusted to business done
by great combinations and we have got to adjust them,2in that big business was unjust and
somebody needed to watch out for the people, and Wilson was just the man to do that.
First, the Federal Trade commission, authorized to order companies to cease and desist3
from engaging in unfair competition. Later came the Clayton Anti-trust Act which outlawed
a number of widely practiced business tactics. 
Wilsons' New Freedom domestic policies produced what turned out to be four constitutional
amendments. The 16th amendment assembled a graduated income tax beginning on incomes over
$3,000. The 17th, achieved direct election of senators by the people. The 18th, was
prohibition (of the sales or manufacturing) of alcoholic liquors, and the 19th amendment,
gave women the right to vote. Some of his Progressive reforms include the Workingmen's
Compensation Act, which granted assistance to federal civil service employees during
periods of disabilities; The Adamson Act established the eight hour day for all employees
on trains in interstate commerce, with extra pay for overtime, and The Federal Farm Loan
Act, made credit available to farmers at low interest rates. Wilsons' administration
produced major legislation on tariffs, banks, business, and labor. It had been
responsible for laws that restricted child-labor, promoted the welfare of seamen, and
created a credit system for farmers. Although the administration demonstrated a new
sensitivity to labor's interests, it did not generally win management over to its
position. Businesses made larger gains than labor as a result of the relaxation of the
anti-trust laws, the growth of trade associations, and the businessmen of an effective
and publicly accepted union-busting technique. Foreign affairs also demanded much of the
presidents' attention. He persuaded Congress to repeal the Panama Tolls Act, which had
allowed American ships to use the Panama Canal toll-free when sailing between U.S.
coastal ports. Wilson believed that this new law violated a treaty with Great Britain.
The President also refused to approve a bankers' loan to China, and put himself on record
against dollar diplomacy. Wilson insisted that his party live up to its campaign promises
of preparing the Philippines for independence. In 1916, Congress passed the Jones Bill,
which greatly increased Philippine self-government and made many reforms in the
administration of the islands. Convinced that freedom and democracy were universal
aspirations, Wilson was determined that the United States would work to advance them. In
Asia the United States lacked strength to do much, but in the Western hemisphere it had
the power to act; and so in Mexico, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and elsewhere
around the Caribbean basin it did. Wilson was not materialistic and assumed that American
assistance would be welcomed, when he realized this was not true he tried to minimize
American involvement. Wilson dismissed traditional American political isolationism,
making America a world power, citizens of the world.4 Most people did agree that the
nations increasing economic and military power obligated and permitted it to play a
larger political role in the world. Wilson struggled constantly between isolationist
sentiments and the necessity for American involvement in world affairs. 
Determined to avoid entering World War I, he rigorously pursued neutrality. At first
Wilson merely proclaimed neutrality, even when German U-boats (submarines) sank a US
tanker. Then he tried Peace without victory because he realized that the only lasting
peace was one in which the conquered nations were not left poverty-stricken, embittered
and biding their time for revenge. Neither the Allies nor the Central powers responded.
Keeping America out of the war proved to be an extremely difficult, and eventually
impossible, job. Wilson's greatest problems concerned shipping. Britain had a blockade
against Germany, seizing any cargoes bound for Germany. The British paid for the goods
confiscated but the United States thought the interference in its sea trade was a
violation of both freedom of the seas and neutral rights. The United States' problems
with Britain were serious, but its troubles with Germany were worse. The Germans
continued to sink ships with Americans on board. After the Sussex, a French channel
streamer was sunk, killing 80 civilians, some American, Wilson declared that if these
attacks did not stop the United States would have no choice but to sever diplomatic
relations5 with Germany. In the end not even Woodrow Wilson could keep the United States
out of World War I. When the Germans declared unlimited submarine warfare, Wilson knew
the United States would have to get involved. Still he hesitated, hoping for some event
that would make an American declaration of war unnecessary. Instead two events occurred
destroying all hopes of neutrality. The first was the Zimmerman telegram. This was a
message intercepted by Britain proposing a secret alliance between Germany and Mexico.
The next event that pushed the US into the war was the Russian Revolution, in which
Russia withdrew from the war, this meant the Allies lost a major part of their team, and
without the United States, Germany would have surely won. In April 1917 Wilson asked
Congress to declare war on Germany. He appointed able men to mobilize the economy and to
command the armed forces, never interfering with either. By September 1918 Germanys army
was in retreat, its civilians hungry and exhausted. 
Wilsons' real heart was in peace. He insisted on going to the Paris Peace conference
himself, where he was greeted by European crowds cheering wildly. He and three other men,
known as the Big Four, including Premier Vittorio Orlando of Italy, Prime Minister David
Lloyd George of Britain, and Premier Georges Clemenceau of France drew up the Treaty of
Versailles, based on Wilsons Fourteen Point address. Aspirations of world order were
represented in his Fourteen Points: Open diplomacy, freedom of the seas, the removal of
economic barriers among nations, reductions of armaments, the ending of imperialism,
self-determination for national groups, the inclusion of Russia in the world community,
and, most important to Wilson, the creation of an association of nations to assume
collective responsibility for maintaining peace (the League of Nations). Wilson
passionately wanted his Fourteen Points implemented, he wanted a treaty that would be
fair to fallen enemy as well as to the victors. After many compromises, the Treaty of
Versailles was signed, including Wilsons League of Nations. Wilson formally got approval
for his League of Nations, but when he returned home with the treaty, he found resistance
to him and it. A group of senators refused to accept the treaty as a package, as Wilson
demanded. Frustrated, Wilson decided to appeal over the senators heads to the country. He
set out on a tour that took him through 30 cities in 24 days, this grueling schedule
caused him to he suffer two strokes, the second one leaving his left side paralyzed. For
the next few weeks Wilson was near death, nobody was allowed to see him except for his
wife who would carry messages to his bedroom and then emerge with an answer. When his
mind finally cleared he was presented with Senator Lodge's proposed fourteen reservations
to his fourteen points. The treaty was rejected because neither Wilson nor Lodge was
willing to compromise. Although Wilson was partially paralyzed by the stroke and
suffering from other disabilities, he wanted the honor of a third nomination. If he had
received it, he may have ran again, so great was his devotion to the League of Nations,
which was created without the participation of the United States. The League never took
off without the support of the United States behind it. 
Wilsons political leadership experience was limited to his two year stint as governor of
New Jersey. Nevertheless, he had no doubts about his ability to lead the nation, as he
said in his inaugural address, I summon all honest men, all patriotic, all forward
looking men to my side God helping me I will not fail them, if they will but counsel and
sustain me!6 Part of his effective leadership ability, was that Wilson knew how to
dramatize issues and to capture public attention. He did not think average citizens were
qualified to lead. The leaders task was partly to sense the wishes of the people, but it
was also to shape their ideas and to act where they would not naturally act. The
Presidents leadership of his party gave him more influence over Congress, but more
importantly his standing as the interpreter of the countries instinctive wishes and
desires made him a unique national figure. He was the first president since Thomas
Jefferson to address Congress personally, which he did several times. The president, in
Wilsons view, thus had extraordinary potential powers attained from his role as political
leader and interpreter of the wishes of all people. In contrast to what the people had
expected when they chose Wilson as the democratic nominee, he had proved that he could be
a leader and that state government could meet the challenges facing it. His academic work
had shown that he was not a profound thinker, but he had a rare ability to see the
essentials of issues and to delegate authority to others to handle details. While
considering issues he was open-minded and eager for practical suggestions about how to
achieve a goal, and once he had made up his mind he was firm and consistent.
Wilson adopted an approach to Congress that proved remarkably effective. He outlined the
main objectives he wanted to achieve and left legislatures to draft special bills. He
made use of public opinion to influence the legislative process by going personally to
the capitol to address Congress and by making other public speeches. The significance of
the Underwood tariff is debatable but the skill and flexibility Wilson showed in getting
it through Congress were not. If one of his reforms stalled in Congress, he would
generate pressure on the lawmakers to act by calling public attention to the delay.
Through Wilsons aggressive leadership, his administration was responsible for four
constitutional amendments. The eighteenth amendment, prohibiting the sales of alcoholic
beverages, was controversial because many leading brewers were German, and this made the
drive against alcohol all the more popular. However, the main cause was to conserve the
food supplies for the war effort. One of his greatest strengths as a leader was his
ability to focus on a single issue, identifying its essential points and dealing with it
quickly and efficiently. Although the eighteenth amendment was eventually repealed by the
twenty-first amendment it was what the country need at the time and was effective in that
sense. 
Wilson thought that it was the presidents' job to understand the hopes and dreams of
America, which he believed were centered on a peaceful, secure world. Establishing his
Fourteen Points, and the League of Nations in particular, was Wilsons method of keeping
world peace. In his address, point number fourteen, was an international organization
that Wilson hoped would provide a system of collective security.7 Wilson earnestly wanted
this to guarantee the political independence of all countries, big or small. During the
first year of peace, Wilson focused on the treaty fight. Wilsons diplomatic leadership
was strong, keeping the United States out of the Great War and helping in the peace
effort afterwards, and he stuck with it, trying to pass legislation that would not only
benefit the United States, but the whole world as well. 
Wilson, far more than any other world leader of his generation raised issues that needed
to be confronted and set an agenda for future domestic and international policies. The
Underwood Tariff shows successful domestic policy because it inacted a favorable low
tariff, in which the United States was open to compete. It also showed mastery in
leadership in the course that he used pushing it through Congress. Although his
administration is often associated with World War I, Wilson sought world peace with his
League of Nations. Faced with decisions and appointments and foreign conflicts, Wilson
was admittedly ill-prepared. Because of his concentration on world peace he did not
recognize hostility when it was aimed toward the US Wilson, with a high sense of duty and
destiny, administered a heady dose of domestic reform, in his New Freedom progressive
legislation; and foreign intervention, in the League of Nations. Through his strong
leadership, both domestically and diplomatically, the nation came out stronger than it
was before. Wilson tried to apply his own moral standards to international politics, he
was convinced that the president should be the people's leader, not merely the nations'
chief executive. 
Bibliography
BIBLIOGRAPHY 
Bailey, Thomas A.: The American Pageant, DC Heath and Company, 1994.
Bailey, Thomas A.: Presidential Greatness, Thomas A. Bailey, 1966. 
Clements, Kendrick A.: The Presidency of Woodrow Wilson, University Press of Kansas,
1939. 
Hoover, Herbert: The Ordeal of Woodrow Wilson, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1958. 
Leavell, Perry J.: World Leaders Past and Present, Wilson, Chelsea House Publishers,
1987. Wilson, Woodrow: The New Freedom, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1961. 
Woodrow Wilson The World book Multimedia Encyclopedia, World Book Inc., 1996. 
Woodrow Wilson Infopedia, Future Vision Multimedia Inc., 1995.