Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-08-18
WILSON WARNS
NATION AGAINST
WARL|KE SPEECH
Says Effect of European War
on u. S. "WilI Be What
We Make It,"
TROUBLE INEVITABLE IF
SCOPE is GIVEN TO BIAS
Bids Citizens Maintain Neutral
ity at Heart as Well as
theoretically.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 1S.-Address-
ing the American people, President
Wilson today issued a statement in
connection with the European war,
warning citizens of the United States
against that deepest, most subtle.
most essential breach of neutrality
which may spring out of partisan
ship out of passionately taking
sides"
The Presidents statement follows:
my Fellow Countrymen:
II suppose that every thoughtful
man in America mas asked himself
during the last troubled week. what
influence the European war may
exert upon the United States. and I
take the liberty of addressing 4 few
words to you in order to point out
that 1t is entirely within our own
choice what its effects upon us viii
be and to urge very earnestly upon
you the sort of speech and conduct
which will best safeguard the nation
against distress and disaster.
Effect Depends Upon Americans.
THE effect of the war upon the
United States will depend upon 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 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
cred in public meetings do and say.
upon what newspapers and maya
zines contain, upon what our minis
ters 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 SYM
pathy and desire among them with
regard to the issues and circum
stances of the conflict. Some will wish
one nation, others another to sue
ceed in the rnomeptous struggle.
v Easy to Excite Passion. ~
1T will be easy to excite passion
and difficult to allay it. Those re-
sponsible for exciting it will assume
a heavy responsibility; responsibility
for no less a thing than that the
people of the United States, whose
love for their country and whose
loyalty to its government should unite
them as Americans all. bound in
honor and affection to think first Of
her and her interests, may be divid-
ed in camps of hostile 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 per-
formance of our duty as the one great
nation at peace. the one people hold
ing itself ready to play a part of i'm
partial mediation and speak the coun-
sells of peace and accommodation, not
as a partisan, but as a friend"
1--WE Must Be Neutral In Heart
Il venture, therefore, my fellow
countrymen, to speak a solemn word
of warning to you against that deep
est, most subtle, most essential breach
of neutrality which may spring out
of partisanship, 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 well as in action, must
put curb upon our sentiments as
well as upon every transaction that
might be construed as preference 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
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