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Show I , "The Government Still Lives!" Well, the president is on French soil; he's outside of American territorial jurisdiction and, incidentally, beyond the jurisdiction of good old sea sickness. Now, what are the chatterers and chatterers against this presidential presi-dential absence going to do about it? We don't think they have the gumption to do anything about it. ' But while they're thinking over the thing, the rest ot us cm look up' the cold facts on this question of busted precedents tlu departure of a president for foreign parts. The federal constitution nowhere forbids Mr. Wilson to leave American soil during his term of office. Article 2, section 2, of that document says the president "Mull have power by and with the advice and consent of the senate t. make treaties, provided two-thirds of the senators present concur.' It doesn't say whether he shall make treaties in Washington Paris or Pekiu. Article 2, section 1. of the federal constitution says that in case of the president's Vm.ibility to discharge the power-, of lv office" the office shall devolve on the vice president. The president is, under the constitution, commander in chid of the army, navy and militia of the United States. Mi m CtnilJ Ve .nt lit llii.' i.ip.mtii" and n-mniir in 'li'n;- ton while the navy was in the North sea and the army in France. Belgium, Italy and Siberia? Bv cable and by wireless, of course! How can he "discharge the powers and duties of said office" of president of these United States while on the deck of the ship George Washington or on French or British soil? By cable and by wrieless, of course! When the constitution was made there were no cables, no wireless telegraphs, telephones, steam or electric railroads or airplanes air-planes to bridge distances in minutes and seconds. The constitution was made in stage coach days and some Americans are still interpreting and thinking of it in stage coach terms. President Wilson while abroad can tiansact the business and duties of his office as easily as Brown or Jones of New York can keep their fingers on their business in Boston or Washington between be-tween meals. , " While President Wilson is abroad for the definite purpose of seeing that no erroneous interpretation is placed by the peace conferees con-ferees on his utlerancs on the great issues to be decided in the Versailles Ver-sailles conference the league of nations, the self determination of peoples, the destruction of militarism and other vital questions it is well to remember the explicit language of article 2, section 2, of the federal constitution quoted above. President Wilson isn't able to bind this nation to anything not accented by 1 two-thirds majority vote of the United States senate. If any untoward thing should happen to Mr. Wilson and all Americans pray for his safety all the way going and coming we will do well to remember the truth embalmed in the solemn utterance utter-ance of General James Abram Garfield to the throng in New York when the news of the loss of Abraham Lincoln was- broken to them: "God reigns land the government at Washington still lives!" This is a government of laws and principles, not of men only. It is safe whether the president is in Washington or in Paris or joined to "the silent majority. " |