The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-07

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 national situation our duty has taken on an unexpected aspect Every patriotic man ought now to stay on his Jop untii he CT sis is passed and ought to stay where his job can best be done. We must do whatever is necessary, and forego whatever is necessary to keep us in close land active concert in order to relieve in every possible way the stress and strain put upon our people during the continu- ance of the present extraordinary con ditions. My job, now know, can be done best only if devote my whole thought and attention to it and think of nothing cut the duties of the hour. I am not at liberty and shall not be, so far as l can lnow see, to turn away from those duties to undertake any kind of political can lvass.
 "In the present emergency l am keenly aware of the twofold responsibility l am called upon to discharge; the responsi- bility which deyolves upon me as President of the United States and the responsibility under which l am laid leader of a great political party. Of course, the whole country will expect of me and my own conscience will exact of me that think first of my duties as President, lrespon- sible for exercising so far as | have the ability a constant guidance in the affairs of the country, both domestic and foreign. The labors of Congress have a natural and customary limit; the work of the houses can be and will be finished; Congress can adjourn. But the President cannot. especially in times like these, turn away from his official work, even for a little while. Too much depends upon his keeping all the threads of what is oc- curing in his hands.
 
 Unable to Take Active Part T have, therefore. reached the con clusion that l cannot in any ordinary sense take an active part in the approach ing campaign, that ! must remain here to attend to the, serious. work sure to fill the months immediately before us-months that will carry with them obligations. no doubt. of the most tremendous sort. l l know that you will feel similarly about your own obligations; that members of Congress, too. without distinction as to party affiliations, will feel that they must remain to do their work of necessary and pressing service and bring it to suc- cessful conclusion.
 'I shall no doubt take occasion as op- portunity offers to state, and perhaps re- state to the country in the clearest and most convincing terms can command the things which the democratic party has at tempted to do in the settlement of great
 
 year pressed for solution, and I earnestly hope that they will generously open their minds to what may have to say; but l shall not allow my eagerness to win their approval or my earnest desire to be grant, ed by their suffrages the support of an- other Congress to interfere with the daily performance of my official duties or dis tract my mind from them The record men make speaks for itself. The country cannot be deceived concerning it, and will assess it justly. What 1t chiefly expects and demands and what 1t will certainly he most surely won by is the performance of duty without fear or favor and with out regard to personal consequences "And certainly this Is a time when America expects every man to do his duty without thought of profit or advan- tage to himself. America is greater than any party. America cannot properly be served by any man who for a moment measures his interest against her advan- tage. The time has come for great things. These are days big with destiny for the United StG tes, as for the other nations of the world A littfe wisdom. little courage, a little self-forgetful devotion may under God turn that destiny this way or that. Great hearts. great natures will respond. Even little men will rejoice to be stimulated and guided and set an heroic example. Parties will fare well enough without nursing if the men who make them up and the men who lead them set il great people forward on the path
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