Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1914-08-24
Wilson Pleads
For Fairness

Washington.-Add the peo-
pie of America, President Wilson
Tuesday issued statement in con-
nection with the European war, warn
ing citizens of the United States
against that deepest, most subtle,
most essential breach of neutrality,
which may spring out of partisanship,
out of passionately taking sides"
The presidents statement follows:
my Fellow Countrymen:
Il suppose that every thoughtful
man in America has asked himself
during the last troubled weeks what
influence the European war may eX-
ert on the United States, and take
the liberty of addressing few words
to you in order to point out that it
is entirely 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 safeguard the nation against dis
tress and disaster.
The effect of the war upon 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
partiality and fairness and friendli-
ness to all concerned. The spirit of
the nation in this critical matter will
be determined largely by what indi-
viduals and society and those gath
ere din public meetings do and say;
on what newspapers and magazines
contain, on what our ministers 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. Some wish one nation,
others another, to succeed in the con-
flict.
Il venture, my fellow countrymen,
to speak a solemn word of warning
to you that deepest most subtle,
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 well 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 a curb on our sentiments as we'll
as on every transaction that might
be construed as a performance of
one party to the struggle before an
other.
MY thought is of America. ! am
speaking, feel sure, the earnest wish
and purpose of every thoughtful
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 a nation fit beyond
others to exhibit the fine poise OF
undisturbed judgment, the dignity OF
self-control; a nation that neither
sits in judgment on others nor is dis
turbed in her own counsels, 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
the great and lasting influence for
peace we covet for them?"
Prior to the issuance of the
statement, officials close to the presi-
dent made it clear that Mr.. Wilson
was fully determined to take no part
in the dispute between Japan and
Germany over the situation in the far
east. While the German-Japar
question was not referred to in the
statement, it became known that the
president regarded with disfavor eff
forts he believed we're being made tC
embroil the United States in the con
troversy in the far east or in Europe
The president is understood to b'
deeply concerned because naturalizet
Americans who came from countrie
now at war have taken sides in pub
lie discussions in the United States
the European war. On previous oc
casions he has publicly spokel
against what he termed "hyphenate,
Americans" declaring that citizen
of the United States should b
, Americans only, not Irish-Americans
German-Americans or other classif
= cations of the sort. This feeling
understood to have prompted tn
issuance of his statement.