美国总统27 伍德罗·威尔逊.docx

美国总统27伍德罗威尔逊WoodrowWilson:Idealistplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-10:50repeatByKellyJeanKelly03September,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmerica'sPresidents.PresidentWoodrowWilsonTodaywearetalkingaboutWoodrowWilson.Heservedtwoterms,from1913to1921zandledtheUnitedStatesthroughthefirstWorldWar.Wilsonmighthaveseemedanunlikelywarpresident.Hewasauniversityprofessorbeforeheenteredpolitics.And,whentheconflictbeganinEuropein1914,WilsonstronglyrejectedtheideaoftheU.S.gettinginvolved.Heevencampaignedforhissecondtermontheslogan"Hekeptusoutofthewar."ButWilson'sidealismeventuallymadehimbelievetheU.S.mustentertheconflict.Hefamouslysaid,"Theworldmustbesafefordemocracy."Hespentthelastmonthsofhispresidencyfightingtocreatealeagueofnationsthatwouldpreventfuturewars.Wilsondidnotsucceedinthateffort.ButtheeffectsofhispresidencyarestillseentodayinboththedomesticandforeignaffairsoftheUnitedStates.EarlylifeWoodrowWilsonwasborninthestateofVirginiain1856andgrewupintheSouth.Wilson'sfatherwasaProtestantChristianministerwhosupportedtheviewsoftheConfederacyduringtheCivilWar.Wilson'smotherhadbeenborninEnglandbutraisedintheUnitedStates.Shewasreportedlywarmandloving,especiallytoherhusbandandfourchildren.Wilson,searlylifewasmarkedbypoorhealthandapassionforlearning.HiseducationincludedtutoringbyConfederatesoldiers,classeswithhisfather,ayearatDavidsonCollege,abachelor'sdegreefromtheschoolnowcalledPrincetonzoneyearoflawschool,andadoctoraldegreeinhistoryandpoliticalsciencefromtheUniversityofJohnsHopkins.Heremains,sofar,theonlypresidentwithaPh.D.Wilson'sacademicinterestswereingovernment,andhowitcouldbemosteffective.Evenasayoungmanzhesupportedtheideaofastrongexecutive,eitheraprimeministerorapresident.Hewroteanumberofbooks,includingabiographyofGeorgeWashington,andahistoryoftheUnitedStates.Healsotaughtpopularclassesatseveralcolleges,includingBrynMawrinPennsylvania,WesleyaninConnecticut,andPrincetoninNewJersey.IntimezWilsonbecamethepresidentofPrinceton.Hemademajorreformstotheschooluntilsomefacultyandalumniresistedhisefforts.Wilsonhadalwaysbeeninterestedinpoliticalpower.TheDemocraticPartyinNewJerseybecameinterestedinWilsonwhentheywerelookingforacandidatewithanhonestpublicimage.Intruth,partyofficialsbelievedhewouldbeaweakleaderwhomtheycouldinfluence.WilsonsurprisedthembywinningtheseatasNewJerseygovernoreasily,andthenrejectingtheireffortstocontrolhim.HewentontopassmajorreformlegislationinNewJerseythatreducedcorruptionandprotectedtherightsofworkers.HisactionsdrewtheattentionofDemocraticPartyleadersseekingacandidateforpresidentin1912.Presidency:firsttermWoodrowWilsonin1912.Duringhispresidency,thefederalgovernmentbecamehighlyinvolvedinregulatingtheeconomyandprotectingcitizens'personalandsociallives.VotersdidnotoverwhelminglychooseWilsonin1912.AlthoughhedidwellintheElectoralCollege,heearnedonlyalittlemorethan40percentofthepopularvote.Othervotesweremostlydividedbetweentwoformerpresidents,TheodoreRooseveltandWilliamTaft.YetWilsonquicklyassertedauthorityoverCongressandpushedthroughanumberoflawsaimedatdramaticreform.HistorianKendrickClementsattheUniversityofSouthCarolinasaysWilsonhadastronglyprogressivevision.Hewasinterestedin"expandingeconomicopportunityforpeopleatthebottomofsocietyandeliminatingspecialprivilegesenjoyedbytherichestandmostpowerfulmembersofsociety."OneofWilson'smostimportantactswastocreateanewfederalagencycalledtheFederalReserveBoard.ItstillregulatesAmericanbanks,credit,andmoneysupply.HealsocreatedtheFederalTradeCommissiontoensurefairbusinesspractices,andtheDepartmentofLabortoprotectworkers'rights.Andhesupportedlawstoreduceworkinghoursforrailroademployees,barchildlabor,andoffergovernmentloanstofarmers.ButevenduringWilson'sbusyIawmakingzthethreatofworldwardemandedhisattention.WilsonhaddeclaredthattheU.S.wouldremainneutralinthegrowingconflictbetweentheAlliedandCentralPowers.OneofhisreasonswasthatpeopleintheU.S.wereimmigrantsfromthecountriesthatwereatwar.WilsondidnotwanttheconflicttodivideAmericans.However,hepermittedinternationaltrade,includingwithBritainandFrance.Asaresult,manybelievedtheU.S.wasfavoringthosecountries.In1915zaGermansubmarinesankaBritishshipcalledtheLusitaniaandkilledmorethan100Americansonboard.WilsonprotestedseveraltimestoGermanyaboutthesinking.HewarnedthattheU.S.wouldnotacceptanothersuchaggression.Buttwoyearslater,GermanyattackedU.S.commercialships.ItalsoinvitedMexicotoenterintoanallianceagainsttheUnitedStates.AtthebeginningofWilson'ssecondterminoffice,heaskedCongresstodeclarewaronGermany.WoodrowWilsonwithhiswifeEllenandthreedaughtersPresidency:secondtermTheU.S.enteredWorldWarIonthesideoftheAlliedPowers.Theadditionalsupportcameatanimportanttime.AmericansoldierswereabletohelpresistGermantroopsinFrance.Intime,Germanyaskedforanarmistice-anagreementtostopfighting.Followingthewar,WilsonhadagrandvisionforhowtogainlastingpeaceinEurope.Inaspeechknownas"FourteenPoints/'heproposedthatthecountriesthathadwonthewarnotpunishGermany.WilsonalsowantedEuropeancoloniestorulethemselves,andotherareasbegivenimmediateindependence.Mostimportantly,WilsonsuggestedaLeagueofNationsthatwouldguaranteethemembercountries*independenceandsafety.Butfewworldleadersagreedwithhisplancompletely.WoodrowWilsonwithhissecondwifezEdithBollingGaltWilsonEvenintheU.S.,manyRepublicanlawmakersinCongressresistedWilson'sideaforaLeagueofNations.Somestronglyobjectedtoanytreatythatwouldlimitthecountry'sindependence.Othersdidnotwantthecountrytobeinvolvedinworldissuesatall.SoWilsonbeganatripacrosstheU.S.toraisepublicsupportfortheLeagueofNations.Hetraveledmorethan15,000kilometersin22daysandgave29speeches.Wilson'sdoctorswarnedhimthatthetripwashardonhishealth.ButWilsonwasfirmaboutpressuringSenateRepublicanstoadopttheagreement.Finally,hecollapsedfromexhaustion.Shortlyafter,hesufferedamajorstroke.Althoughherecoveredsomewhat,heremainedpartlyparalyzed.Herarelyappearedinpublicagain.Instead,WilsoncommunicatedtoCongressthroughhiswife.WhenRepublicanschangedthetreatytodealwiththeirconcerns,Wilsontoldhissupporterstorejectit.Intheend,theU.S.neverdidjointheLeagueofNations.Whenanewpresident,WarrenHardingzwassworn-inin1921zEdithandWoodrowWilsonretiredtoahouseinWashington,D.C.ThreeyearsIaterztheformerpresidentdiedquietlythere,finallyatpeace.mKellyJeanKelly.KellyJeanKellywrotethisstoryforLearningEnglish.CatyWeaverwastheeditor.WordsinThisStoryassertv.todemandthatotherpeopleacceptorrespect(something)opportunity-n.anamountoftimeorasituationinwhichsomethingcanbedoneeliminate-v.toremove;togetridofprivilege-n.arightorbenefitthatisgiventosomepeopleandnottoothersregulate-v.tomakerulesorlawsthatcontrol(something)commercial-adj.relatedtoorusedinthebuyingandsellingofgoodsandservicesarmistice-n.anagreementtostopfightingawarexhaustion-n.thestateofbeingextremelytiredparalyzed-adj.unabletomoveorfeelallorpartofthebody