Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-05
PRESIDENT WILSON ADDRESSES
GRADUATING CLASS OF AN.
NAPoLIs ACADEMY.
SAYS DUTY OF NATION
IsTo SERVE THE WORLD
Audience Of More Than 5000 People
Listens to Presidents Talk Of Psaee
Before Men Educated For War II
Praise For Admiral FIeteher's
statssma anship.

Annapolis, Nd, June 5.-President
Wilson today told 154 graduates Of
the naval academy, many of whom
leave shortly for Mexican waters, that
the mission Of the United States is
one of service to humanity not Of
agrandisement or conquest. He spoke
at the annual academy graduation
exercises and later delivered the
diplomas to the young midshipmen.
He declared the duty Of the United
States is to serve the world
Speaking Of the Vera Cruz situation
the president reverently declared: II
pray God the boys will not have to fight
any more" He added that the real
good they will do will bring favor
able impression on the Mexicans.
They are not strutting and bluster-
ing" he went on, the people Of Vera
Cruz who despised and hated Ameri-
cans will think differently of them
when our boys leave"
Audience Of 5000.
The president spoke in huge armory
packed with more than 5000 midship-
men and relatives and friends Of the
graduates. He was enthusiast tically
cheered during his address
President Wilson said in part:
1t ought to be one of our thoughts
all the time that you are sample Ameri-
cans, not merely sample navy men, not
merely sample soldiers, but sample
Americans, and that you have the point
Of view Of America with regard to her
navy and her army. and that she Is
using them as the instrument Of civil
ization not as the instrument of ag-
gression. The idea OF America is to
serve humanity and every time you let
the stars ard stripes free to the wind
you ought to realize that is in itself
message that you are on an errand
which other navies have sometimes for
gotten. not an errand Of conquest, but
an errand Of service.
What do you think is the lasting
Impression that those boys down at
Vera Cruz are going to leave? They
have had to use some force. I pray
God 1t may not be necessary for them
to use any more, but do you think the
way they fought is going to be the most
lasting impression? Have men not
fought ever since the world began? Is
there anything new in using force? The
new things In the world are the things
that are divorced from force The
things that show the moral compul-
sions of human conscience. those are
the things by which we have been
building up civilization. not by force,
and the lasting impression that those
boys are to leave will be that they have
exercised self control
You must bear in mind that you are
the champions of what is right and
fair all around no matter where you
are, and that it is for what is right and
fair for public welfare, that you
are ready to fight not merely at the
drop Of the hat or upon punctillo, but
that you are the champions OF your
fellow men,"
Praise For Admiral Fletcher.
The president praised Admiral
Fletcher. saying he had been on duty
longer at Vera Cruz than the other
commanders and that he had the quail
ties of the statesman
After the ceremonies the president
watched the graduates to their quarters
and the former "plebes" ran to take
possession of Lovers Lane He ate
luncheon with Captain F'ullam and
planned to leave for Washington at
o'clock.