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1、美国总统27伍德罗威尔逊WoodrowWilson:Idealistplaystopmutemaxvolume00:00-10:50repeatByKellyJeanKelly03September,2017VOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.PresidentWoodrowWilsonTodaywearetalkingaboutWoodrowWilson.Heservedtwoterms,from1913to1921zandledtheUnitedStatesthroughthefirstWorldWar.Wilsonmighthaves
2、eemedanunlikelywarpresident.Hewasauniversityprofessorbeforeheenteredpolitics.And,whentheconflictbeganinEuropein1914,WilsonstronglyrejectedtheideaoftheU.S.gettinginvolved.HeevencampaignedforhissecondtermonthesloganHekeptusoutofthewar.ButWilsonsidealismeventuallymadehimbelievetheU.S.mustentertheconfli
3、ct.Hefamouslysaid,Theworldmustbesafefordemocracy.Hespentthelastmonthsofhispresidencyfightingtocreatealeagueofnationsthatwouldpreventfuturewars.Wilsondidnotsucceedinthateffort.ButtheeffectsofhispresidencyarestillseentodayinboththedomesticandforeignaffairsoftheUnitedStates.EarlylifeWoodrowWilsonwasbor
4、ninthestateofVirginiain1856andgrewupintheSouth.WilsonsfatherwasaProtestantChristianministerwhosupportedtheviewsoftheConfederacyduringtheCivilWar.WilsonsmotherhadbeenborninEnglandbutraisedintheUnitedStates.Shewasreportedlywarmandloving,especiallytoherhusbandandfourchildren.Wilson,searlylifewasmarkedb
5、ypoorhealthandapassionforlearning.HiseducationincludedtutoringbyConfederatesoldiers,classeswithhisfather,ayearatDavidsonCollege,abachelorsdegreefromtheschoolnowcalledPrincetonzoneyearoflawschool,andadoctoraldegreeinhistoryandpoliticalsciencefromtheUniversityofJohnsHopkins.Heremains,sofar,theonlypres
6、identwithaPh.D.Wilsonsacademicinterestswereingovernment,andhowitcouldbemosteffective.Evenasayoungmanzhesupportedtheideaofastrongexecutive,eitheraprimeministerorapresident.Hewroteanumberofbooks,includingabiographyofGeorgeWashington,andahistoryoftheUnitedStates.Healsotaughtpopularclassesatseveralcolle
7、ges,includingBrynMawrinPennsylvania,WesleyaninConnecticut,andPrincetoninNewJersey.IntimezWilsonbecamethepresidentofPrinceton.Hemademajorreformstotheschooluntilsomefacultyandalumniresistedhisefforts.Wilsonhadalwaysbeeninterestedinpoliticalpower.TheDemocraticPartyinNewJerseybecameinterestedinWilsonwhe
8、ntheywerelookingforacandidatewithanhonestpublicimage.Intruth,partyofficialsbelievedhewouldbeaweakleaderwhomtheycouldinfluence.WilsonsurprisedthembywinningtheseatasNewJerseygovernoreasily,andthenrejectingtheireffortstocontrolhim.HewentontopassmajorreformlegislationinNewJerseythatreducedcorruptionandp
9、rotectedtherightsofworkers.HisactionsdrewtheattentionofDemocraticPartyleadersseekingacandidateforpresidentin1912.Presidency:firsttermWoodrowWilsonin1912.Duringhispresidency,thefederalgovernmentbecamehighlyinvolvedinregulatingtheeconomyandprotectingcitizenspersonalandsociallives.Votersdidnotoverwhelm
10、inglychooseWilsonin1912.AlthoughhedidwellintheElectoralCollege,heearnedonlyalittlemorethan40percentofthepopularvote.Othervotesweremostlydividedbetweentwoformerpresidents,TheodoreRooseveltandWilliamTaft.YetWilsonquicklyassertedauthorityoverCongressandpushedthroughanumberoflawsaimedatdramaticreform.Hi
11、storianKendrickClementsattheUniversityofSouthCarolinasaysWilsonhadastronglyprogressivevision.Hewasinterestedinexpandingeconomicopportunityforpeopleatthebottomofsocietyandeliminatingspecialprivilegesenjoyedbytherichestandmostpowerfulmembersofsociety.OneofWilsonsmostimportantactswastocreateanewfederal
12、agencycalledtheFederalReserveBoard.ItstillregulatesAmericanbanks,credit,andmoneysupply.HealsocreatedtheFederalTradeCommissiontoensurefairbusinesspractices,andtheDepartmentofLabortoprotectworkersrights.Andhesupportedlawstoreduceworkinghoursforrailroademployees,barchildlabor,andoffergovernmentloanstof
13、armers.ButevenduringWilsonsbusyIawmakingzthethreatofworldwardemandedhisattention.WilsonhaddeclaredthattheU.S.wouldremainneutralinthegrowingconflictbetweentheAlliedandCentralPowers.OneofhisreasonswasthatpeopleintheU.S.wereimmigrantsfromthecountriesthatwereatwar.WilsondidnotwanttheconflicttodivideAmer
14、icans.However,hepermittedinternationaltrade,includingwithBritainandFrance.Asaresult,manybelievedtheU.S.wasfavoringthosecountries.In1915zaGermansubmarinesankaBritishshipcalledtheLusitaniaandkilledmorethan100Americansonboard.WilsonprotestedseveraltimestoGermanyaboutthesinking.HewarnedthattheU.S.wouldn
15、otacceptanothersuchaggression.Buttwoyearslater,GermanyattackedU.S.commercialships.ItalsoinvitedMexicotoenterintoanallianceagainsttheUnitedStates.AtthebeginningofWilsonssecondterminoffice,heaskedCongresstodeclarewaronGermany.WoodrowWilsonwithhiswifeEllenandthreedaughtersPresidency:secondtermTheU.S.en
16、teredWorldWarIonthesideoftheAlliedPowers.Theadditionalsupportcameatanimportanttime.AmericansoldierswereabletohelpresistGermantroopsinFrance.Intime,Germanyaskedforanarmistice-anagreementtostopfighting.Followingthewar,WilsonhadagrandvisionforhowtogainlastingpeaceinEurope.InaspeechknownasFourteenPoints
17、/heproposedthatthecountriesthathadwonthewarnotpunishGermany.WilsonalsowantedEuropeancoloniestorulethemselves,andotherareasbegivenimmediateindependence.Mostimportantly,WilsonsuggestedaLeagueofNationsthatwouldguaranteethemembercountries*independenceandsafety.Butfewworldleadersagreedwithhisplancomplete
18、ly.WoodrowWilsonwithhissecondwifezEdithBollingGaltWilsonEvenintheU.S.,manyRepublicanlawmakersinCongressresistedWilsonsideaforaLeagueofNations.Somestronglyobjectedtoanytreatythatwouldlimitthecountrysindependence.Othersdidnotwantthecountrytobeinvolvedinworldissuesatall.SoWilsonbeganatripacrosstheU.S.t
19、oraisepublicsupportfortheLeagueofNations.Hetraveledmorethan15,000kilometersin22daysandgave29speeches.Wilsonsdoctorswarnedhimthatthetripwashardonhishealth.ButWilsonwasfirmaboutpressuringSenateRepublicanstoadopttheagreement.Finally,hecollapsedfromexhaustion.Shortlyafter,hesufferedamajorstroke.Although
20、herecoveredsomewhat,heremainedpartlyparalyzed.Herarelyappearedinpublicagain.Instead,WilsoncommunicatedtoCongressthroughhiswife.WhenRepublicanschangedthetreatytodealwiththeirconcerns,Wilsontoldhissupporterstorejectit.Intheend,theU.S.neverdidjointheLeagueofNations.Whenanewpresident,WarrenHardingzwassw
21、orn-inin1921zEdithandWoodrowWilsonretiredtoahouseinWashington,D.C.ThreeyearsIaterztheformerpresidentdiedquietlythere,finallyatpeace.mKellyJeanKelly.KellyJeanKellywrotethisstoryforLearningEnglish.CatyWeaverwastheeditor.WordsinThisStoryassertv.todemandthatotherpeopleacceptorrespect(something)opportuni
22、ty-n.anamountoftimeorasituationinwhichsomethingcanbedoneeliminate-v.toremove;togetridofprivilege-n.arightorbenefitthatisgiventosomepeopleandnottoothersregulate-v.tomakerulesorlawsthatcontrol(something)commercial-adj.relatedtoorusedinthebuyingandsellingofgoodsandservicesarmistice-n.anagreementtostopfightingawarexhaustion-n.thestateofbeingextremelytiredparalyzed-adj.unabletomoveorfeelallorpartofthebody
