Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-08-18
PEARLS OF WISDOM
FROM LIPS Of OUR
GOOD PRESIDENT
Points Out the Duty Of Ameri-
cans to Maintain Neutral
ity at Home
COMING FROM EUROPE
ARE AMERICANS NOW
As Such Must be BrOad-mind-
ed and Tolerant Of Each
Others Sympathies

Washington, Aug. 1S.-The following
statement regarding the European con-
flict was issued mere TO-DAY by President
Wilson:
"My fellow countrymen; suppose
every thoughtful man in America has
asked himself what influence the Euro
pean war may exert upon America, and
take the liberty of advancing few
words to you and to point out that it
is entirely within our choice what ihe
effects upon us shall be, and to urge
most earnestly upon you the sort Of
speech and conduct which viii best
safeguard the nation against distress
and disaster.
everyone who really loves America
will act and speak with the true spirit
of neutrality, which is the spirit of i'm.
partiality, fairness and friendliness to
all concerned. The spirit of the nation
in this critical matter will be deter
mined largely by what individuals and
society and those gathered in public
meetings do and say and what the news
papers and magazines contain; what
ministers utter from their pplpits and
what men proclaim as their opinion on
the street.
2 ''0ur people are people drawn from
many nations, chiefly froLi the nations
now at war. 1t is naturally and in
eyitable that there should DO the utmost
variety of sympathy and desire among
them in regard to the. issues. aud cir
cumstances of the conflict. Some will
wish one nation and others another to
succeed in the momentous struggle. It
will be easy to excite passion but dif-
fieult to allay it. Those responsible
for exciting it will assume o heavy
responsibility for no less q thing than
that the people Of America, whose love
for their country and loyalty to their
4 government should unite them as
: Americans, all bound in honor and af-
fection, to think first Of her and her
interests, may be divided into camps
of hostile opinion, hot against each
other. and involved in war itself in inn
pulse and opinion IT, not in action. Such
divisions amongst us win be fatal to our
peace of mind and might seriously stand
: in the way Of proper performance Of
duty as one great nation at peace and
one people holding itself ready to rlay
the part of impartial mediation and
speak counsels Of peace and aceommo-
dation, not as partisan but as friend
~ venture, therefore, my fellow coun-
, trymen, to speak q solemn Torf of
warning to you against the deepest,
. most substantial and most essential
breach of neutrality, which may spring
s out of partisanship and out Of passion
: ately taking sides. America must be
: neutral in fact as we'll as in name dur.
ing the days that are TO try men g
souls. We must be impartial in thought
as well as in action and must curb ouI
sentiments as well as every tsansac tior
that might be construed as prefsrenct
I to one party before another.
"My thoughts are Of America. I fee
sure that the earnest wish aul purpos,
of every thoughtful American is tha
l. this great country of ours, which, o
r, course, is first in our thoughts an,
r hearts, should show herself in thi
d time of peculiar trial, nation fit be
e yond others to exhibit fine poise, III
Z. disturbed judgment, dignity of sci
c. control and the efficacy Of dispassion
1t ate action, nation that neither sits i
o. judgment upon others nor is disturbe
in in her own counsels and which keeI
herself fit and free to do what is hol
e. est, disinterested and truly serviceabl
I'd for the peace of the world Shall "
I'd not resolve to put upon uorselves !,
te straints which will bring our people ha
VS. piness and great and lasting influen'
yn for the peace we covet for Jh3ml"
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