Woodrow Wilson and the Presidency

Woodrow Wilson and thePresidency .\rthurS.Link.et al.. eds.·Thu Pare1:r of Woodrow ~ils~n. Prmceton: Princeton Umvers1ty Press. Volume 25. 1912 (1978),672 + xxiv pp. volume 27.19!3(1978),599 + xxxii pp. Volume 28, 1913 (1978),629 + xx pp. Volume 29,December 2, 1913-May5, 1914 1N7Q). 592+xxpp. Volume JO,May6-September 5, 1914 I 197\)), 526+xxpp. Volume 31,September 6-December 31, 1914 1N79), 592+xxiipp. Robert A. Hohner Politicalfigures often stand in fear of the judgment of history. Reflecting uponhis academic career, Woodrow Wilson in 1912 recalled that when he hadbeen an historian, he had been able to "sit on the side lines and look onwitha certain degree of complacency upon the men who were performing inthe arena of politics." He had taken satisfaction in the fact that "after thegame isover some quiet fellow like myself will sit down in a remote room somewhereand tell the next generation what to think" about the politicians. Thatknowledge, however, took on new meaning once he entered public life. "Nowthat I am myself exposed," he observed, "I think of that quiet jury sittingin those rooms surrounded by nothing but shelves and books and documents. I think of the anticipated verdict of another generation" (25: 197). The verdict which Wilson pondered is of course never final, and the evidencenow available to ''that quiet jury" of which he spoke has grown to enormousproportions. The task of arriving at a fresh assessment of Woodrow Wilsonwill be facilitated immensely, however, by the availability of the documentary collection now being produced at Princeton University by ArthurS. Link and his associates. The Pape,:,;; of Woodrow Wilson, the first volume of which appeared in 1966, is a monumental scholarly enterprise, unrivaled among the papers of Americanpublic figures for its comprehensiveness. Handsomely produced bythe Princeton University Press and exhaustively indexed, the Pape,:,;, Canadian Review of American Studies, Volume 13, Number 2, Fall 1982 214 Robert A. Hohner scheduled for completion in the late 1980s, will eventually run to morethan fifty volumes. Impressive in its meticulous scholarship, innovative editorial methods, judicious selection and unusual completeness, the series hasbeen justly praised by reviewers. Once completed, it will stand as the indispensable documentary record to which generations of scholars and students\\ill turn for information and insight on Wilson and his era. Traditionally the papers of an historical figure have been confined tothose documents written or received by him. Early in their labors, however,Link and his colleagues realized that this practice was inadequate for achievino their goal of presenting "as complete a record as possible of the develop~ ment of Wilson's significant thought and activities" (27: vii). Hence the Wilson Papers include not only documents written by or to Wilson,but collateral materials as well: letters from his associates and friends to third parties, and excerpts from personal diaries, for example, which record impressions of Wilson or important conversations with him. The most valuable of such materials, and "the single most important document ofthe Wilson era," is the diary of Wilson's chief advisor, Colonel Edward M.House (27: xi). Also included are reports and dispatches from foreign diplomats that relate conversations with Wilson or shed light on his conduct of diplomac 1. Often such collateral documents contain the most significant record of Wilson's views on important issues, and their inclusion in the Papers greatly enhances the value of the series. In dealing with the difficult question of establishing an accurate text of Wilson's speeches, the editors have been exceptionally resourceful. Unlike modern presidents, Wilson had no speechwriters. Furthermore, he usually spoke, not from a prepared text, but extemporaneously from a brief outline, after spending an hour or two alone in preparation. The campaign speeches of 1912are particularly important as a record of Wilson's changing political thought at a critical stage of his career. As historical documents. however, those speeches, in the strict sense of the term, are nonexistent. They must be reconstructed from the transcripts of shorthand reporters. notably those of Charles L. Swem, Wilson's personal stenographer. Swem operated under difficult conditions in noisy and crowded halls and under great pressure of time, and his transcripts are unfortunately "extremely corrupt" (25...