President Wilson in the Twentieth Century

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President Wilson in the Twentieth Century

President Woodrow Wilson was an early twentieth century president that held a

large amount of power. Not only did he have extreme power in the United States, but he

made important decisions based on his own personal beliefs and ideas that effected the

world. President Wilson was geniunely concerned by the sufferings of humans. Wilson

felt that his role in office was to serve the public as best he could.

Contrary to popular belief he was not the “machine-like psychotic,” so many people make him out to be. In his inaugural speech, given in March 1913, he stated, “This is a not a day of triumph, it is a day of dedication. Here muster, not the forces of party, but the forces of humanity. Men’s hearts wait upon us; men’s lives hang in the balance; men’s hopes call upon us to say what we will do. Who shall live up to the great trust? Who dares fail to try? 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.” This was the attitude that Wilson carried out all of his activities with. He jumped into the Presidency with complete dedication. He truly loved the executive responsibility.

The outlines of Wilson’s presidential character could not be clearer. He did not just work hard, he slaved away, often to point of complete exhaustion. In letters to his lady friends, one can see the determination and sense of drive that Wilson exemplifies. “I work hard, of course (the amount of work a president is expected to do, but it is not that that tells on a fellow. It’s the anxiety attending the handling of... affairs in which you seem to be touching quicksilver...I have been under a terrible strain as I have undergone ever since Congress convened in April,” (Barber 65). This dedication carried over to people all over the world.

Another powerful move for Wilson was the Fourteen Points. One aspect was a proposal to end secret treaties. Therefore, European couldn’t go behind each other’s backs in time of war. The second point was freedom of the seas. This was that no one could control the oceans.

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