The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-21

am not not. thinking so prepos- terous thought as that we should sit in judgment upon then-no nation Is fit to sit in Judgment upon any other nation-b91t that we shall some. day have to assist in reconstru cting, the processes of peace.
 Our resources are untoucheds we are more and more becoming, by the forces of circumstances the mediafdng nation Of the world in respect of it's finance We must make up our minds what are the best things to do and what are the best ways to do them
 ssWe must put our money, our en- eFgy, our enthusiasm, our sympath into these things; and we must have our judgments prepared and our spirits chasteaed against sthe coming of that day. So that I. am not speaIingssin a selfish spirit when I say that our whole duty for the present, at any rate, is summed up in this motto:
 4ssAmerica First!
 Must Help Both Sides.
 s.Iet us think of America before we think of Europe in order that America may be fit to be Europe's friend when the day of tested friend ship comes. The test of friendship is not now sympathy with the one side or the other, but getting ready to help both sides when the struggle is over
 t4The basis of neutrality gentle men, is not indifference; it is not self interest. The basis of neutrality is sympathy for maa1kind. It is fair ness; 1t is good will at bottom; it is irnpart1ality of spirit and of judg- ment.
 q wish that all of our fellow citi- zens could realize that There is in some quarters a disposition to create distenpers in this body polite. sAIen are even utterlng islanders against the United States, as if to excite her. Men war upon either side there will be a divided Amerfca-an aborlfnable libel of ignoranceI America is not all of it vocal just now. It is vocal in spots. But I, for one. have a complete and abiding faith in that great body of An33eri- cans who are not standing up and shouting and expressing their opin- ion just now. but are waiting to find out and support the duty of Ameri- ca
 | TT am Jusr as sure of their soIidity and of their loyalty and of their unanimfty if we act55ustIy, as [ am that the history of this country has at every crisis and turning point il- frustrated this great lesson. ! We are the mediatfng Nation of the world. ] do not mean that we undertake not to mind our own busf- i ness and to mediate where other peo- pie are auarreiI1ng- mean the word | in a broader sense
 We are compounded of the nations of the world. We mediate their blood, we mediate their traditions, we mediate their sentiments, their tastes, their passions; we are our selves compounded of those things. We are therefore able to understand all nations: we are able to understand them in the compound. not separate as partfsans. but undtedIy, as know ing and compromising and ennbodying them all
 l ..It is in that sense that mean that sAmerfca is nredfating Nation. The 1 opinion of America, the acton of America is ready to turn and free to turn in any direction
 No Hamperfng Ambitions.
 Did you ever reflect upon how a1- most all other nations, almost every other nation has. through long cen tuTdes. been headed in one direction ? That is not true of the United States.