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Section XIII

Presidential Analysis of Woodrow Wilson

Sujeeth Narra

Honors Modern America – Period 8

February 9, 2002
Woodrow Wilson was able to bring about great changes to the economic and social
landscape of the United States using his visions and experience from his positions as President of
Princeton and governor of New Jersey during his administration, which lasted from 1913 to 1921.
Generally, Wilson succeeded in increasing the ranking of the United States as an economic, social,
and industrial power through his actions before and during World War I, but failed in establishing
the United States as a purveyor of strong, well-based ideas and as a nation capable of influence and
success. These limitations prevent Wilson from earning a higher rating than a 8.
Some of Wilson’s successful goals include were tariff reductions, introduction of a federal
income tax, stimulate business, allow for the direct election of senators, eliminate monopolies,
support unions, and disentangle the United States from the image of an imperialist nation. Wilson
succeeded in reducing the tariff and introducing a graduated federal income tax with the Underwood
Act of 1913. Wilson was able to stimulate the nation’s economic growth with the introduction of
the Federal Reserve System in 1914. This system served as the backbone of the banks of the United
States and regulated banks to help stabilize the national banking system. Wilson also established
the Federal Trade Commission in 1914 to prevent the monopoly of an entire industry by any one or
group of companies. The Clayton Antitrust Act acted as a compliment to the Federal Trade
Commission as well as the Sherman Antitrust Act. The Clayton Antitrust Act also ensured the right
of unions to strike, boycott, and picket.
Wilson was aided in his quest to elevate the status of the United States by such cabinet
members as Williams J. Bryan, William Gibbs McAdoo, Carter Glass, Newton Diehl Baker, and
James Clark McReynolds. Wilson’s cabinet assisted Wilson in executing his New Freedom plan.
William Jennings Bryan (Secretary of State: 1913-1915) had helped Wilson during his nomination
for the Presidency in 1912 and continued to aid Woodrow Wilson during his administration by
negotiating 30 treaties of arbitration with foreign countries. Bryan resigned his position in 1915 in
protest against the hostile attitude towards Germany, which he found contradictory to his neutralist
attitude. Bryan was replaced by Robert Lansing (1915-1920). Aiding Wilson in the arena of
economic reform were William Gibbs McAdoo (Secretary of Treasury: 1913-1918) along with
Carter Glass (Secretary of Treasury: 1918-1920) through their creation of the Federal Reserve
System through the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. This system continues to act as the basis for all
banks throughout the United States and allowed the government to stabilize the national banking
system. During the wartime, Wilson was helped by Newton Diehl Baker (Secretary of War: 1916-
1921). Baker assisted Wilson in mobilizing forces to Mexico, France, and Europe. Baker also

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administered the draft law, selected commanding officers to head the US expeditionary forces, and
supervised the expenditures of the war. The final significant support to Wilson was provided by
James C. McReynolds (Attorney General: 1913-1914). McReynolds assisted Wilson in eliminating
such key trusts as the Union and Southern Pacific Railroad Merger and enacting antitrust suits
against American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) as well as the New York, New Haven,
and Hartford Railroad.
During Roosevelt’s administration, the Senate had a majority of Democrats from 1913 to
1919 while the House of Representatives had a Democratic Majority only from 1913 to 1917.
Wilson worked fairly well with Congress, as he was able to pass three major legislations during his
administration: the Underwood Act, the Federal Reserve Act of 1913, and the 1914 anti-trust
legislation that created the Federal Trade Commission. Although the occasional disagreement was
brought to light, Wilson was able to work around it fairly easily. Wilson was able to execute his
New Freedom plan with the assistance of Congress and his cabinet.
Wilson was very capable in handling any shortcomings that had presented themselves during
his administration. With his prowess and knowledge, Wilson was able to tackle any complication
with ease. Wilson was able to eliminate many harmful monopolies when they presented themselves
as harmful to expansion of the economy. Both of Wilson’s terms were overshadowed by World War
I, which presents itself as the major difficulty of his terms. Even though WWI was a difficult and
multi-faceted situation, Wilson handled the event smoothly. On the domestic front, Wilson had to
handle resistance to American participation in WWI. He relieved this by creating a propaganda
campaign that developed American pride and set up a draft. Wilson also appointed George Creel as
the government’s official propagandist for the war; Creel set up a Committee on Public Information
that sponsored public speakers to persuade Americans the necessity of the war. Wilson also had to
handle uprising from Socialists around the country, which he responded to by passing the Espionage
and Sedition Acts of 1917, helping to quiet those who protested against the war by threatening
imprisonment. George Creel was also responsible for creating the American Alliance for Labor and
Democracy, which united labor unions to create support for the war effort. Even before Congress
had declared war, Wilson was preparing for that moment. Woodrow Wilson began by creating a
large ship-building effort in preparation for this event. Wilson also had the government take control
of the economy, labor, and industry to begin a massive campaign for U.S. involvement. The next
step was to encourage men to enroll themselves into the army. Wilson had Creel and his department
create propaganda posters that created support for the draft. Wilson’s greatest success must be

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acclaimed as his ability to gear the country up in preparation for the war. Wilson was able to prime
the country for war in just 1 year, an amazing feat after recognition that Germany and Great Britain
had been accumulating their forces over several years. The next challenge for Wilson was settling
the peace between the nations. Wilson headed to France with a rigid plan to eliminate the chances
for a repetition of World War. Wilson had devised Fourteen Points and the League of Nations to
prevent a second World War. When Wilson arrived in Versailles, he was overpowered by the other
Allies, and his plans were cast aside. The Allies had refused to accept Wilson’s plans and Wilson
was obstinate enough to resist compromise. The Allies continued on to severely charge Germany
for its actions, setting up a tense peace and the stage for the next world war. This must have been
Wilson’s greatest defeat during his administration, partially caused by Wilson’s stroke which had
impaired his judgmental skills. If Roosevelt had succeeded in impressing his reforms upon the
Europeans, another war inclusive of all nations of power might have been avoided. This succeeded
in breaking Wilson’s political back as he no longer had the capability to settle problems and
construct solutions to major problems.
Although by the end of his administration Wilson was utterly exhausted, the people had
supported him throughout the nation’s tribulations. Wilson was loved at the beginning of his
administration because he was a fresh style, different and set apart from the Republicans before
him. For example, when Wilson decided it was necessary for the U.S. to enter the war, the nation
supported this decision although it meant limitations upon the rights of the people.
Wilson was an obstinate, aggressive, and reserved person. Obstinate: Wilson refused to
change his ideals to adjust to another person’s. An example of this is during Wilson’s visit to
Versailles, where he refused to compromise with the Ally leaders. Aggressive: Wilson was bold in
his decisions and asserted himself well through his actions. Reserved: Wilson was a quiet man who
tended to contemplate on actions around him. These three qualities seem to best describe Wilson in
his entirety.
Several of Wilson’s decision have had an effect on the present. The major legacy Wilson left
on the nation was one that established the U.S. as a world power: Wilson’s decision to enter the
war. After the U.S. entered the war, the turning point occurred soon after in the favor of the Allies.
It can be construed as the U.S. expended its resources into the war, the Allies became more
powerful and the U.S. helped win the war for the Allies. This established the U.S. as a world power,
allowing it to enjoy the power it holds today. Also, Wilson’s creation of the Federal Reserve and
Federal Trade Commission helped to stabilize the economy and set the basis for the expansion of

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the United States into new markets. Wilson’s decisions have left legacies on the country that have
been advantageous to the nation’s position.
Although Wilson’s status as President might not have been as elevated as other presidents,
such as Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, it still had a profound effect upon the nation and
the people. Wilson left the office a broken man due to his inability to succeed in securing global
peace and stability through his Fourteen Points and League of Nations. Although Wilson may have
failed in the area of peace-keeping, he succeeded in encouraging market growth and stability,
allowing the U.S. to expand into the role of a world power. Without Wilson’s development of the
Federal Reserve, the United States might not be in its current position. Although Wilson may have
failed to expedite world peace, he was able to empower the United States economically and socially,
thus earning a rating of 8.

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