A glimpse of how the Armenians perceived him. The attached is reproduced from the album devoted to the 80th anniversary of the ARF.
"Woodrow Wilson, twenty-eight President of the United States was born in Staunton, Virginia on December 28, 1856. He was elected President in 1912 and re-elected in 1916.
Probably the greatest conflict during his administration was not the World War but a constant struggle between idealism and reality; From the posts of President of Princeton University and Governor of New Jersey, Wilson entered the White House unmoved by personal ambition and ideas of political gain. He thought others to be as he was – honest, and sincerely democratic in principles: taking into consideration general human weaknesses, he respected the views of others.
Toward the world, Wilson, historians and political economist, held similar views. Insisting that the government “rests always upon the consent of the governed.” After the World War I he ardently set about to establish a super-organization which would guarantee peace to the world and held nations together with bonds of international morality, good faith and humanity.
The Armenians gratefully cherish his memory. It was one of his fondest wishes to see the Armenian homeland seized by Turkey, returned to its rightful owner, the free and independent Republic of Armenia. President Wilson, in November 1920, in accordance with the provision of the 89th article of the Treaty of Sevres drew the map of Free and United Armenia assigned to the Armenians an area which included Erzerum, Van, Bitlis, and Trebizond.
Six months earlier, President Wilson had “earnestly advised and requested” the U.S. Senate to accept the mandate for Armenia. “At their hearts”, wrote Wilson, “this great people have made the case of Armenia their own. It is to this people and to their Government that the hopes and earnest expectations of the struggling people of Armenia turn as they now emerge from a period of indescribable suffering and peril, and I hope that the Congress will think it wise to meet this hope and expectation with the utmost liberality.”
Unfortunately his wishes did not materialize."
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