The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-08-20
URGES
TEMPERATE SPEECH
EFFECT OF WAR DEPENDS ON
WHAT AMERICANS SAY
AND DO.

NoShihSloH, aug. IV-AuuTeSSluS
the American people, President Wilson
has issued a statement in connection
with the European war, warning cit
izens of the United State 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:
81 suppose that every thoughtful man
in America, has asked himself during
the last troubled weeks what influence
the European war may exert upon 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 effects
upon us will be and to urge very earn
estly upon you the sort of speach and
conduct which will best safeguard the
nation against distress and disaster.
"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 neu-
| trality, which is the spirit of impair
tiality and fairness and friendliness to
all concerned. The spirit of the nation
in this critical matter will be determin-
ed largely by what individuals and So
cieties and those gathered in public
meetings do and say, upon what news
papers and magazines contain, upon
what our ministers utter in their pull
pits and men proclaim as their opin-
ions on the streets.
Easy to Excite Passion.
"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 re-
gard to the issues and circumstances
of the conflict. Some will wish one
nation, others another, to succeed in
the momentous struggle. It will be
easy to excite passion and difficult
to allay it. Those responsible for ex-
citing it will assume heavy respon-
sibility; responsibility for no less a
thing than that the people of the
United States, whose love of their
country and whose loyalty to its gov
ernment should unite them as Ameri-
cans all, bound in honor and affection,
to think first of her and her interests,
may be divided in camps of hostile
opinions, hot against each other in
volved in the war itself in impulse
and opinion, if not in action. Such di-
versions amongst US would be fatal
to our peace of mind and might seri-
ously stand in the way of the proper
performance of our duty as the one
great nation at peace, the one people
holding itself ready to play part of
impartial mediation and speak the
counsels of peace and accommodation.
not as a partisan, but as friend.
Must Be Neutral.
Il venture, therefore, my fellow-coun-
trymen, to speak solemn word of
warning to you against that deepest,
most subtitle, most essential breach OF
neutrality which may spring out OF
partisanship. out of passionately TAX
ing 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 action; must put a curb
upon our sentiments as well as upon
every transaction that might be con
strued as a preference of one party to
the struggle before another.
my thought is of America. / an
speaking. feel sure, the earnest wish
and purpose of every thoughtful Amer
lean that this great country of ours
: which is, of course, the first in oul
thoughts and in our hearts, should
show itself in this time of peculiar
/ trial a nation fit beyond others to ex
: hibit the fine poise of undisturbes
: judgment, the dignity of self control
r the efficiency of dispassionate action
p a nation that neither sits in judgmen
] upon others nor is disturbed in he
/ lown counsels. and which keeps hel
S self fit and free to do what is homes
= and disinterested and truly servicabl
d for the peace of the world.
g '.Shall we not resolve to put upo
s Yourselves the restraint which wi
9 bring to our people the happiness an
II the great and lasting influence &
ipeace xre corek Tor them r. # f