The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-08-27
WILSON WARNS AMERICANS.
President Calls Upon Citizens tt
Avoid Breach of Neutrality.

President Calls Upon Citizens to
Avoid Breach of Neutrality.
a ----
Addressing the American people,
President Wilson has issued state
ment in connection with the Euro
pean war warning citizens of the
United States against "that deepest,
most subtle, most essential breach
of neutrality which may spring out
of craftsmanship, out of passionately
taking sides"
The presidents statement fol-
lows:
"My fellow countrymen:
II suppose that every thoughtful
man in America has asked himself
during the last troubled weeks what
influence the European war will ex-
ert on the United States, and l take
the liberty of addressing few words
to you in order to point out that it
is within our own choice what its
effect on us will be and to urge very
earnestly upon you the sort of speech
and conduct which will best safe
guard the nation against distress
and disaster.
Depends on Citizens.
1.-THE effect of the war on the
United States will depend on what
American citizens say and do. Every
man who really loves America will
act and speak in the true spirit of
neutrality which is the spirit of i'm
partially and fairness and friend
illness to all concerned. The spirit
of the nation in this critical mat
10 h1y
what individuals and society and
those gathered in public meetings do
and say, on what newspapers and
magazines contain, on what our min
listers utter in their pulpits and men
proclaim as their opinions on the
streets.
"The people of the United States
are drawn from many nations and
chiefly from the nations now at war.
1t is natural and inevitable that
there should be the utmost variety
of sympathy and desire among them
with regard to the issues and cir
cumstances of the conflict. Some
will wish one nation, another an
other, to succeed in the momentous
struggle.
Easy to Excite Passion.
'It will be easy to excite passion
and difficult to allay it. Those re-
sponsible for exciting it will assume
heavy responsibility for no less "a
thing than the people of the United
States whose love Of their country
whose loyalty to it's government
should unite them as Americans, all
bound in honor and affection to
think first of her and her interests,
who may be divided in camps of hos
tile opinions, hot against each other
involved in the war itself in impulse
and opinion, if not in action.
"Such diversions amongst us
would be fatal to our peace of mind
and might seriously stand in the way
of the proper performance of our
duty as the one great nation at peace,
the one people holding itself to play
a part of impartial meditation and
speak the counsels of peace and ac-
commodation, not as partisan, but
as friend.
2-sI venture, therefore, my fellow
countrymen, to speak word of
warning to you against that deepest
most essential breach of neutrality
which may spring out of PARTISAN
ship out of passionately taking sides.
The United States must be neutral
in fact as we'll as in name during
these days that are to try mems
souls. We must be impartial in
thought as we'll as in action, must
put curb on our sentiments as we'll
as on every transaction that might
be construed as preference of one
party to the struggle before another.
"My thought is of America. am
speaking, l feel sure, the earnest
wish and purpose of every thought
full American that this great country
of ours, which is, of course, the first
in our thoughts and in our hearts,
should show herself in this time of
peculiar trial nation fit beyond
others to exhibit the fine poise of un-
disturbed Judgment, the dignity of
self control, the efficiency of dis
passionate action; a nation that nei-
Their sits in judgment on others nor
is disturbed in her own councils and
which keeps herself fit and free to
do what is honest and disinterested
and truly serviceable for the peace
of the world.
'Shall we not. resolve to put on
ourselves the restraint which will
bring to our people the happiness
and Nthe great and lasting influence
for peace we covet for them?'
Prior to the issuance of the state
ment officials close to the president
made it clear that Mr. Wilson was
fully determined to take no part in
the dispute between Japan and Ger
many over the situation in the far
east. While the German Japanese
question was not referred to in the
statement, it became known that the
president regarded with disfavor eff
forts he believed were being made
ito embroil the United States in the
controversy in the far east or in
Err0no