Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-03
PRESIDENT URGES
COUNTRY Be CALM
No Cause for Alarm During Eu-
ropean Crisis, He Tells
Newspaper Men.
CONDITIONS HERE SOUND,
THE EXECUTIVE DECLARES
Warns Against Unreasonable Appre-
Observation-Disclosures of Neu-
trality Being Prepared.

President Wilson today appealed to the
people of the United States to remain
calm during the war in Europe. He de-
clared the United States owes 1t to man
kind to help the rest of the world during
the present crisis.
The President declared the United States
could gain great and permanent glory
during the present trouble providing no
one lost his head. The President urged
that nothing be done in America to add to
the excitement of the world.
There is sure to be inconvenience to the
financial institutions of the country, he
told callers but added that the admins
tration is fully prepared to help out all
difficulties. He asked that no credence
be given to unconfirmed reports of a SEN
sational nature.
The President declared the administra-
ton is bending every effort toward get
ting ships to carry the foodstuns and
other products of the United States to all
the world and to bring home Americans
stranded in Europe.
Proclamation of Neutrality Soon.
A proclamation of neutrality, Mr.. Will
son said. will be issued as soon as it can
be completed by the State Department.
He does not believe there will be any ne
cessity for Congress to remain In session
because of the situation in Europe.
The President declared there was no
cause for alarm in the United States.
President Wilson told callers today the
United States had not directly OF indi-
rectly made any offer to use its good Of
fees to bring ABOUT peace in Europe. He
said he had not heard of a suggestion re-
ported 10 have been made by lhe Queen
of Holland that the United States unite
with her country to offer mediation.
No Cause for Excitement.
During his conference with the news
paper men this morning. President Will
son said:
1T is extremely necessary. it is mani
festly necessary in the present state of
affairs on the other side of the water, that
you should be extremely carful not to add
in any way to the excitement. OF course.
the European world is i'll a highly excited
state of mind, but the excitement ought
not to spread to the United States SO
far as We are concerned, there is no cause
for excitement. There iS great inconve-
nience, for the time being IN the money
market and in our exchanges and. tenn
porarily, in the handling of our CROPS, but
America is absolutely prepared to meet
the financial situation and to straighten
everything out without any material diff
ficuity. The only thing that can possibly
prevent it is unreasonable apprehension
and excitement.
IF l might make suggestion to
you, gentlemen. therefore. l would urge
you not to give currency to any un-
verified rumor or to anything that
would tend to create or add to excite
ment. 1 thnk>that you will agree that
we must all at the present moment act
together as Americans in seeing that
America does not suffer any unneces-
sary distress from what is going on in
the world at large The situation in
Europe is perhaps the gravest in it's
possibilities that has arisen in modern
times. but 1t need not affect the United
States unfavorably i'll the long run.
Not that the United States has any
thing to take advantage of. but her
own position is sound and she owes 1t
to mankind to remain in such a condi-
tion and in such a state Of mind that
she can help the rest of the world.
Declares Situation Sound.
II want to have the pride of feeling
that America. if nobody else. has her
self-possession and stands ready with
calmness of thought and steadiness of
purpose to help the rest Of the world
And we can do it and reap a great per-
manent glory out of doing it, provided
we all cooperate to see that nobody
loses his head. l know from my con-
ferences with the Secretary Of the
Treasury. who is In very close touch
with the financial situation throughout
the country that there is no cause for
alarm. There is cause for getting busy
and doing the thing in the right way,
but there is no element of unsoundness
and there is no cause for alarm. The
bankers and business men of the coun-
try are cooperating with the govern
ment with zeal, intelligence and spirit
which make the outcome secure"