I think that it is not unjust to say that President Wilson was stronger in his hatreds than in his friendships.

He seemed to lack the ability to forgive one who had in any way offended him or opposed him.
Believing that much of the criticism of the Covenant was in reality criticism of him as its author, a belief that was in a measure justified, the President made it a personal matter.

He threatened, in a public address delivered in the New York Opera House on the eve of his departure for France, to force the Republican majority to accept the Covenant by interweaving the League of Nations into the terms of peace to such an extent that they could not be separated, so that, if they rejected the League, they would be responsible for defeating the Treaty and preventing a restoration of peace.

With the general demand for peace this seemed no empty threat, although the propriety of making it may be questioned.

It had, however, exactly the opposite effect from that which the President intended.