New-York tribune., 1909-06-14
DUTY WILSON'S TEXT
LABOR md C1PIT4L.
Ideals If Both Too NarrO5c, Says
PnnCeton's President.


calaureate sermon before the graduating class Of
Princeton University to-day President Woodrow
Wilson discussed "T-nproftalle servants" the men
who 90 only their duly AMI who by their increas-
ing numbers threaten tine economic supremacy Of
-le country. lie dealt rqrally with labor and cap
i;al the narrow confines which they had set for
theIaselAes and said Il was zinc look standards
frankly IN the faee and plan Che programme Of
regeneration.
Duty. nT Wilson said. WAS very handsome
word. brt duty was not performed wages We're not
even earned. when the task accomplished was only
thai which obligatory. lie took his text from
the Gospel Of 81. luke. We are Improbable ser
wants: have done thar which was our duty 10
dc Regarding labor, Dr. Wilson said:
You know what the usual standard Of the enploye
Is zaees labor is Standardized by the trade
unions and this * The standard I" which II Is
than the average Workman cen do. In some trades
the least skiful Of his fellows can 40 within me
hours allotted to days labor. and no one may
beyond the minimum l need not point out how
econonlicalls disastrous such regulation OF amor
profitable under its present regulation by those
or econon1ic supremacy may he lost because the
country grows more and more full Of improbable
servants
rDr Wilson said the programme must be TO do
shan ones duty in the domestic relation and in the
professional and business relation. where men
should be partners with their employers at heart
long before they were partners at law We will
be thoughtful citizens. he said, not for the pro
recrjoy OF cur families the benefit Of our huSl-
ness but for he benefit Of our neishbors ana OF
the country which nourishes and sustains Us all
Continuing, Dr.. Wilson said:
I beg you TO look very carefully and very curl
oGsy the world YOU are aoo1t 20 enteI S ,6-IJ 6
mark Of characteT1stics mean me sa Mgaa1
Al sin,osf Inprecedented storm Of accusation and
-r,,3~,- haS nsSsed over H. and the storm draws
~ !, 5T,Ss w 1snr vapors with il: the air grows
very sharp and clear Things stand out - anouI -
in VeTv definite outline and evident propoaLgn5;
And This Is what We We have 1ust paSSsTu
throueh an era in which men ke3f a1e es1 r1iin
ms The country, piled wealth ana f9rgoJ row - -
sAed nor rer-ind vou of the various abuses IN
80 business world which recent legislation .las
tae r-oTs ~ less rnsuccessfuly attempting 10 cor
-eci - he vast combinations by which capitalists
= mis- tbs- and the other line Of enterprise have
sought control the markets OF iile t.L.osj =,
scr,e of heir shippers and the manifest lnlist3ce
fo,,lshie ,siues and lack % values, given 10 Sc
curiries in The stock market by methcqs o. maj
st Gjs 2RiRgs5omf s re ,housand and in
which what we're thought sd to e ne soTTsr without
rarar1 10 ANYTHING hut the profit Of those lll-',
nIely conceTne5 icai,, 10" vsn serred What was in
tended was acconplisled. and with the Tesul'S ''U
Ven have heard the whole story many tines and
~ hem .les' s,47cieg-v no-icei and emphasized is
that most Of these colossal processes - eoat,1
ve-e conducted b,. honest men who were k@eePnk @
within the bounds @ the law IneTe w., 80 ~, ara
viii show. and they We're almost aWsys Ie.TS're 80 80
rog7les The whole huge game. 50 far as IT'S sue.
cess substantial aud lasJ,Ig was - an tiTFIy
mans game: crooks or "lackIees Wt.e W. -
edrni+-sd into 4 Every man served MS own par
-ic1lar interest with extraordinary intensity ana
devotion and with immense success ana coIli "a -
told you with frank and steady eyes tha' ne hsu
But what Improbable servants they were1un- te,da.
profitable even 10 themsi'es @mo 90 o tbese enter
prises are foT the Tine being discredited; Their
prosperity almost fatally checked hv universal
disf-ust and suspicion by hostile legislation by
arrested credit Everything that for their SAKE
should be steady has been thrown out of ioise eIld
balance Their very success has heen question
anle Il YOU aet1a,lo t+, - S1rcses a has heart
Inent and conle3I CONF Win IA =, = of-e~ @f Lad
soInstinaes OF gal <omeiIes 1,.iI OF dTE pun '''
TIE men who Brought disaster upon business
success brought II because they with binders
upon their eyes only the immediate TASK undeT
can of 1honrf7 or Ti-h upon their fellow men left
The censors % public 1gi ials. sLtenael NJ
seeing eyes are the eyes that descrv the real field
rleas5Ire The words have quoted from 81. uke
co-tain nothing less than the secret If what II Is
to live
Dr. Wilson said If ought he open secret 20
university men Duty mere matter 81 course,
and II we're dishonor not do II. but what a man
really looked give color dignity, distinction
even romance. his life what he aided 70 his
duty for his own satisfaction for the release Of the
power that was in him. Instancng again this mat
Ter Of duty. Dr. Wilson said regarding that Of the
citizen
II on vour 70 the polls 70 vote out Of a
sense % duty something brings your mind 10 al
fe-tion and suddenly opens eyes 10 the sig
rifcance of what vou about 70 do. II your
Thoughts begin 70 dwell seriously up0n tl>e cand-
Oates and upcn The issues involved. and some image
OF the community about YOU Of the action ~ com
non purpose between Won and your neiEhbors.
forms itSelf in .our minds viii be aware
that duty YOU about 70 perform IS = small
md frifine Thing II ston with fhat-that your
real consists IN the fact that YOU are think
irc man that moment become a ciflzen ana
fl vo9r nos1g4s with ampIer air