South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-28

SAYS United States Must Prove
Friend and Champion of
Republic on Terms of Equal
ity and Honor.

MOBILE. Ala. oct. 2s-Whne
aoiding any mention specifically OF
Mexico or any European influence
connected with the Mexican situation.
Pres. Woodrow Wilson delivered a
speech here Monday which appeared
10 be freighted with significance and
which served 20 point with further
direCtness the policy OF the United
States not only toward Mexicu but
toward all Central and South Amer
lean republics. Mr.. Wilson spoke be-
fore the Southern Commercial con-
gress and the big audience which
heard him constantly was swept with
cheers and applause. The president
smilingly took his hearers into his
confidence when ne explained he must
speak with moderation and without
indiscretion." a score OF South Amer
lean. Latin American diplomats sat
just behind the president while he
spoke and many OF his remarks were
addressed in conversational tones to
them.
The United States will never again
seek to obtain one additional foot of
territory by conquest" he declared
amid applause.
Mr.. Wilson spent six busy hours in
Mobile. He arrived early in the
hand by the mem bers OF the Southern
Commercial congress and citizens of
the city. He was bTeakfasted driven
about the city by automobile, taken
on a sightseeing expedition in the
harbor. and started back TO Washing
ton with cheers ringing about his spe-
ciaI train.
Sees Different Future
II deemed il public duty as we'll
as a personal pleasure to be here to
express for myself and for the govern
ment I represent the welcome we all
feel TO those who represent the Latin
American states" he said THE fu-
ture, ladies and gentlemen is going to
be very different for this hemisphere
from the past. The states lying TO the
south Of us, which have always been
our neighbors. will now be drawn
closer to us by innumerable ties. and.
1 hope. chief Of all by the tie of a
common understanding to each other.
Interest does not tie nations to-
gether. IL sometimes separates them;
but sympathy and understanding does
unite them. And I believe that by
the new route that is just about to be
opened. while we physically cut two
continents asunder. we spiritually
unite them. II is a spiritual union
which we seek. / wonder if you re-
alize, I wonder if your imaginations
SlEullCanCe
OF the tides OF commerce.
These great tides which have been
running along parallels of latitude
will now swing southwark athwart
parallels OF latitude and that opening
gate at the Isthmus of Panama will
open the world TO a commerce she
has not KNOWN commerce of intel
ligence. OF thought and sympathy be
tween north and south and Latin
states, which, TO their disadvantage,
have been off the main lines will now
be on the main lines. / feel that these
gentlemen honoring us with their
presence today Will presently find that
some part, at any rate, of the center
OF gravity Of the world. has shifted.
DO you realize that New York, for ex-
ample, will be nearer the western
coast OF South America than she is
now 20 the eastern coast of South
America.
Must be Friends.
We must prove ourselves their
friends and champions. upon terms Of
equality and honor You cannot be
friends upon any other terms than
upon terms Of equality You cannot
be friends at all except upon the terms
OF honor, and we must show OurselV es
friends by comprehending their inter-
est, whether in squares with our in
terest or not. II is a very perilOus
thing TO determine the foreign policy
OF a nation in the terms of material
interest. 1t is not only unfair to
those with whom you are dealing
but il is degrading on the part of
your own actions
Comprehension must be the soil
I'm which shall grow all the fruits Of
friendship: because there is 81 reason
and cOmpulsiOn lying behind all this
which is dearer than anything else to
the thoughtful men OF America.
mean the development of cOnstitu-
tional liberty in the world"