Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-04

done In another way. hut not On
another spirit. Our day ss uot
overs IL In upon us I'm full Hide
PRESIDENT Wilson at Gettysburg
GETTYSBURG. Pa. July 4-The train
bearing President Wilson. who came
10 address the veterans of the civil
war. arrived at the station in the town
OF Gettysburg at 1902 o'clock The
President was escorted to an automo-
bile and. accompanied by Gov Tener.
| passed through the town to the Em-
mittsbCrg road and then proceeded over
that thoroughfare TO the camp
The President spoke to a crowd esti-
mated at ten thousand Thousands OF
veterans were in their uniforms OF
gray and blue. but many in the crowd
Were Pennsylvanians. from Gettysburg
and nearby towns. The Presidents
speech was short and he was frequent
ly interrupted by cheers.
President Wilson left by special train
| shortly before noon for the north
President Wilson's Address.
President Wilson spoke as follows:
Friends and Fellow Citizens: I need
/
burg meant. These gallant men in blue
and gray sit all about US here Many Of
them met here upon this ground i'm grim
and deadly struggle. Upon these famous
| fields and hillsides their comrades died
about them. In their presence IL We're an
impertinence to discourse upon how the
| battle went, how il ended, what il sig
| nified. But fifty Years have gone by
since then, and | crave the privilege OF
q
| what those fifty years have meant
What have they meant? They have
meant peace and union and yigor. and
the maturity and might Of a great nation.
How wholesome and healing the peace
has been. We have found one another
again as brothers and comrades in arms.
enemies no longer, generous friends rath-
er, our battles long past. the quarrel for
sOtten-except that We shall not forget
the splendid valor. the manly devotion
of the men then arrayed against one an
other, now grasping hands and smiling
into each other eyes. How complete
the union has become and how dear to all
of us, how unquestioned. how benign and
majestic as state after state has been add
ed to this great family of free men.
How handsome the yigor. the maturity.
the might Of the great nation We love
with undivided hearts; how full of large
and confident promise that a life will be
wrought out that will crown its strength
with gracious justice and with a happy
welfare that will touch all allie with
deep contentment, We are debtors to
those fifty crowded years: they have
made US heirs to mighty heritage.
Example to Be Followed.
But do We deem the nation complete
and finished? These venerable men
crowding here to this famous field have
set US a great example of devotion and
utter sacrifice. They were willing to die
that the people might live. But their task
is done. Their day is turned into even
ing They look to US to perfect what
they established. Their work is handed
on to us. to De done in another way. but
not in another spirit. Our day is not over;
1t is upon Us in full tide.
Have affairs paused? Does the nation
stand still? Is what the fifty years have
wrought since those days of battle fin
ished rounded ont and completed? Here
is great people. great with every force
that has ever beaten in the lifeblood Of
mankind. And ii is secure. There Is no
one within its borders there is no power
among the nations of the earth. to make
it afraid. But has IL yet squared itself
with its own great standards set up at its
birth, when il made that first noble, naive
appeal TO the moral judgment Of man
kind to take notice tnat a government
had now at last been established which
was 20 serve men. not masters? IL is Sc
that It's lie Is right adjusted to the utter
most TO the Standards &C Righteousness
and humanity. The days of sacrifice and
cleansing are not closed. We have hard
er .hinss to do than were done In the
heroic DAYS of war. because harder TO see
clearly. requiring more vision. more calm
balance of judgment. Il more candid
searching of the very springs of right.
Cost of a United Nation.
Look around you upon the field Of Get
tyshurg, Picture the array. the fierce
heats and agony of battle. column hurled
agains, column. battery believing TO bat
terry. Nalor? Yes. Greater no man
shall see in war: and self-sacrifice. and
loss to the uttermost: the high reckless
ness OF exalted devotion which does not
count the cost. We are made by these
tragic epic things to know what il costs
to ma ke a nation--the blood and sacrifice
of multitudes CT unknown men lifted to a
great stature IN the view OF all genera
tions by knowing no limit to their manly
willingness to serve. 1r armies thus mar
shaiad from the ranks of free men you
will see, as il were, nation embattled.
the leaders and the led. and may know,
if you WILL how little except in form its
action differs i'm days of peace from its
action in DAYS of war.
MAY We break camp now and be at
ease? Are the forces that fight for the
nation dispersed, disbanded, gone to their
homes forgetful of the common cause?
Are our forces disorganized, without con-
stituted leaders and the might of men
consciously united because We contend
not with armies, but with principalities
and powers and wickedness In high
places? Are we content to lie still? Does
our union mean sympathy, our peace con-
tentment our vigor right action our ma
turity self-comprehension and clear con-
fidence In choosing what shall do?
War fitted us for action, and action never
ceases
Peoples Freedom the Goal.
Il have been chosen the leader of the
nation. cannot justify the choice by
any qualities OF my own. but so II has
come about. and here I stand. Whom do