The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-04-23


present disengaged? l am not speak
ing, OF course, with disparagement Of
the greater Of those nations in Europe
which are not parties to present war,
but l am thinking of their close neigh
borhood to it. l am thinking how their
lives, much more than ours, touch
the very heart and stuff of the busi-
ness; whereas, We have rolling be-
tween US and those bitter days across
the water 5000 miles of cool and 81
lent ocean. Our atmosphere is not yet
charged with those disturbing ele-
ments which must be felt and must
permeate every nation of Europe.
Therefore, is it not likely that the ma
tions of the world will some day turn
to US for the cooler assessment Of the
elements engaged? l am not thinking
so preposterous thought as that we
should sit in judgment upon them. No
nation is fit to sit in judgment upon
any other nation, but that we shall
some day have to assist in reconstruct
ing the processes Of peace.
A Mediating Nation.
"Our resources are untouched; we
are more and more becoming by the
force of circumstances the mediating
nation of the world in respect of its
finance. We must make up our minds
what are the best things to do, and
wnat are the best ways to do them.
We must put our money, our energy,
our enthusiasm, our sympathy into
these things; and we must have our
judgments prepared and our spirits
ehastened against the coming Of that
day.
$50 that am not speaking in a sell
fish spirit when I say that our whole
duty for the present, at any rate, is
summed up in this motto, America
first Let us think Of America before
we think of Europe, in order that
America may be fit to be Europe's
friend when tie day of tested friend
ship comes. The test Of friendship is
not now in sympathy with one side or
the other, but getting ready to help
both sides when, the struggle is over,
'"Tne basis of neutrality, gentlemen,
is not Indifference; it is not self-inter-
est. The basis of neutrality is SYM
pathy for mankind. 1t is fairness; it
is good will to the bottom. 1t is i'm
partiality of spirit and judgment. 1
wish that all of our fellow citizens
could realize that.
Attempts to Stir Trouble.
There is in some quarter dispo-
sition to create distempers in this
body polite. Men are even uttering
ISLANDERS against the United States as
if to excite her. Men are saying t2at
if We should go to war on either side
there would be divided America
an abominable libel of ignorance.
America is not all of it vocal just now.
It is vocal in spots. But 1 for one have
complete and abiding faith in the great
silent body of Americans WHO are not
standing up and shouting and express
ing their opinions just now, but are
waiting to find out and support the
duty of America. I am just as sure
of their solidity and of their loyalty
and Of their unanimity, if we act justly,
as 1 am that the History of this coun-.
try has at every crisis and turning
point Illustrated this great lesson.
eve are the mediating nation of the
world. do not mean that we under
take not to mind our own business and
to mediate where other people are
quarreling. I mean the word in
broader sense. We are compounded of
the nations of the world. We mediate
their blood, we mediate their tradi-
tions, We mediate their sentiments,
their tastes, their passions, we are
ourselves compounded of those things,
We are, therefore, able to understand
all nations; we are able to understand
them in the compound, not separately,
as partisans, but unitedly- as knowing
and comprenending and embodying
them all. 1t is in that sense that I
mean that America is a mediating ma
ton, The opinion of America, the &C
ton of America is ready to turn and
free to turn in any direction.
No Racial Momentum.
'tDid you ever reflect upon how al
most all other nations, almost every
other nation, has through long CEN
turies been headed in one. direction?
That is not true of the United States.
The United States ras no racial mo-