Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-06-06
NAVAL GRADUATES
HEAR ADDRESS
BY PRESIDENT
Chief Executive Tells Young
Men That Their Mission in
Life Is One of Service to
All Mankind,

Annapolis, Md. June President
Wilson today told the graduates of
the naval academy, many of whom
leave shortly for Mexican waters, that
the mission Of this country is one of
service to humanity, not of aggran-
diZement or conquest He spoke at
the annual academy graduation eXer-
cises and later delivered the diplomas
to the young midshipmen He declar-
ed the duty of the United states Is TO
serve the world
Speaking of the Vera Cruz situation.
the president reverently declared, Il
pray God the boys there viii not have
20 fight any more He added that
the real good they will do win be-
their impression on the Mexicans.
They are not strutting and blus-
tering," he went on. "The people of
Vera Cruz, who despised and hated
Americans, win think differently of
them when our boy; leave
5000 Hear President
The president spoke in huge arr
mory packed with more than 5000
Officers, midshipmen and relatives and
friends of the graduates He was en-
Enthusiastically cheered during the adj
dress.
The president said in part
II ought to be one OF your thoughts
all the time that you are sample
Americans, not merely sample navy
men, not merely sample soldiers. but
sample Americans, and that YOU have
the point of view of Americans, with
regard TO her navy and her army
that she is using them as the instru-
ment Of civilization. not as the in-
strument of aggression. The idea of
Hrrn.H H.tN.
every time you let the stars and
stripes free 10 the wind YOU ought to
realize that that rs in itself a message.
that you are on an errand which
other naVies have sometimes forgot
ten not an errand of conquest, but an
errand of service.
Judge by Actions.
What do YOU think rs the lasting
impression that those boys DAYS at
Vera Cruz are going to leave? They
have had To- use some force. / pray
God IL may not he necessary for them
TO use any more. but do you think the
way they fought is going TO be the
most lasting impression? Have men
not fought ever since the world be-
gan? Is there anything new I'm using
force? The new things i'm the world
are the things that are divorced from
force. The things that show the
moral Compulsions Of the human con
science, those are the things by which
we have been building up civilization.
not by force, and the lasting impress
sion that those boys are to leave win
be that they exercised self control.
Champions of Right.
You must bear In mind that YOU
are the champions Of what Is right
and fair all around. no matter where
you are and that It is for what Is right
and fair for public welfare that you
are ready to fight and not merely on
he drop Of q hat or upon some slight
The president praised Admiral.
Fletcher. saying he had been on duty
longer at Vera Cruz than the other
commanders and that he had the
qualities of q statesman
After the ceremony the president
the graduates 20 to their
quarters and the former "plebes" run
o take possession Of lovers lane"
Returns to Washington.
The president left Annapolis at
$50 p. IN. ON board the Maynower
or Washington expecting TO arrive
here at 9 O'Clock tomorrow morning. ]
ie took lunch with Captain Fulam .
md later Inspected the naval acad- f
my As the Mayflower steamed out It
# the Severn @ presidential salute was I
lfed from shore