The Washington herald., 1915-10-12
WILSON URGES ALIENS
TO DECLARE STAND
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE



| Now We have come to a time of specia
J stress and test. There never was q time
! when we needed more clearly to con
| serve the principles of our own patriotism
! than this present time. The rest Of tbs
world from which our politics wert
drawn stems for the time in the crucibls
and no man can predict what will come
out of that crucible. We stand apart, un.
| cmbroiled, conscious of our own princi.
| pies, conscious of what We hope and pur.
pose so far as our powers permit fol
the world at large. and 1t Is necessary
that we should consolidate the American
principle. Every political action, every
social action, should have for its object
in America at this time to challenge the
spirit Of America to ask that every man
and woman who thinks first of America
should rally to the standards of oul
life. There have been some among Us
who have not thought first of America
who have thought to use the might ol
America in some matter not Of Americas
originative, and they have forgotten tha,
the first duty of a nation is to express
its principles in the action OF the family
of nations and not to seek to aid and
abet any rival or contrary ideal.
Neutrality a Negative Word.
word that does not express what
America ought to feel America has a
heart, and that heart throbs with all
sorts Of intense sympathies, but Amer lea
has schooled its heart to love the things
that America believes in and 1t ought
to devote itself only to the things that
America believes In and. believing that
America stands apart in its ideals. II
ought not to allow itself to be drawn,
so far its heart is concerned, into
anybody's quarrel. Not because it does
not understand that quarrel, not because
America has promised the world to
stand apart and maintain certain princi-
pies of action which are grounded in law
and in justice. We are not trying to
keep out of trouble; we are trying to
preserve the foundations upon which
peace can be rebuilt. Peace can be re-
built only upon the ancient and accepted
principles of international law only
upon those things which remind nations
OF their duties to each other and deeper
than that. of their duties to mankind and
to humanity
America has a great cause which is
not confined to the American continent.
1t is the cause Of humanity itself. l do
not mean in anything that l say even to
imply a judgment upon any nation or
afteroon is not to sit in judgment upon
anybody but ourselves and to challenge
you to assist all of us who are .Tying
to make America conscious of nothing
SO much as her own principles and her
own duty. l look forward to the neces-
sity in every political agitation in the
years which are Immediately al hard of
calling upon every man to declare him
self where he stands. Is it America first
or is it not? We ought to be very Care
full about some of the Impressions that
we are forming just now. There Is too
general an impression, fear. that very
large numbers of our fellow-citizens porn
in other lands have not entertained with
sufficient intensity and affection the
American ideal; but their numbers are
not large. Those who would seek to
represent them ale very vocal. but they
are not very influential. Some Of the
best stun of America has come out of
foreign lands, and some of the best stuff
in America is in the men who are natu-
ra ziled citizens of the United States. /
am not deceived as to the balance of
opinion among the foreign-born citizens
OF the United States. but I am in a hurry
to have an opportunity to have a lineup
and let the men who are thinking first
of other countries stand on one side
Biblically. it should be the left-and all
those that are for America first, last and
all the time on the other side.
When to Tell n Lie.
Now. you can do a great deal la this
direction When l was a college officer
1 used to be very much opposed to naz-
ing; not because hazing is not wholesome,
but because sophOmores are poor judges.
remember a very dear friend Of mine. i
professor of ethics on the other side of
the water. was asked If he thought 1t
was iustifiable to tell a lie. He said yes.
he thought it was sometimes justifiabie
to lie. But" he said. 1T is So difficult
to Judge of the justification that | Csu-
ally tell the truth. | think that ought
to be the motto OF the sophomorcs.
There are freshmen who need to be
hazed. but the need is to be judged by
such nice tests that sophomore is
hardly old enough to determine. But the
world can determine them. We are not
freshmen at college. but we are constant
ly hazed l would a great deal rather
be obliged to draw pepper up my nose
than to observe the hostile glances of
my neighbor ] would great deal rath-
er be beaten than ostracized. / would
great deal rather endure any sort of
physical hardship If I might have the
affection of my fellow-men. We con-
Stantly discipline our 1elloW-cltlZenS Dy
having an opinion about them. That is
the sort of discipline We ought now to
administer to everybody who is no. to the
very core of his heart an American.
Just have an opinion about him and let
him experience the atmospheric effects
Of that opinion. And / know of no body
Of persons comparable to a body of ladies,
for creating an atmosphere Of opinion. I
have myself in part yielded to the infiu-
enccs of that atmosphere. for 1t took me
a long time to observe how I was going
to vote in New Jersey.
I would not feel any exhiliration In be-
longing to America. if did not feel that
she was something more than a rich and
powerful nation. I should not feel proud
to be in some respects and for a little
while her spokesman. if I did not believe
that there was something else than ply
sical force behind her. I believe that the
glory of America. is that she Is a great
spiritual conception and that in the
spirit of her institutions dwells not
only, her distinction. but her power; and
that the one thing that the world cannot
resist is the moral force of
great and triumphant convictions.
BOY ACCUSED AS THIEF