The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1915-04-29
The Peoples Forum

Inc IeOple SsFOrum
APPROVES NEUTRALITY POLICY.
The rare gife of prophecy, no less
than lofty patriotism, shines forth re-
splendently at this time-in the follow
ing extract from an address delivered
by President Wilson on May 1e, 1914,
two months before there was even any
thought of war. The Address was de-
livered at the unwilling OF a monu-
ment erected in Washington to the
memory Of Commodore John Barry Of
the American navy:
John Barry was an 1rishman, but
his heart crossed the Atlantic with
him. He did not leave it in Ireland.
and the test of all Of us, for all Of us
had our origins on the other side of
the sea, is whether we will assist in
enabling America to live her separate
life, retaining our ancient affections to
be sure, but determining everything
that we do by the interests that exist
on this side of the sea. Some Ameri-
cans need hyphens in their names, be-
cause only part of them has come over.
cause only part of them has come
over. But when the whole man has
come over, heart and thought and all,
the hyphen drops out of it's own
weight out of his name. This man
was not an Irish-American; he was an
Irishman who became an American. I
venture to say if he voted he voted
with regard to the questions as they
looked on this side of the water, and
not on the outside; and that is my
infallible test of genuine American,
that when he votes, or when he acts,
or when he fights, his heart and his
thought are nowhere but in the center
of the emotions and the purposes and
the policies of the United States"
To the everlasting credit of our ma
turalized Americans, it is pleasure
to observe that the great majority of
them, including all fationalities, are
of the John Barry type so graphically
portrayed by the president in the fore
going words. They are now standing
and will continue to stand solidly with
the president in his determination that
so far as in his power, this country
shall maintain an attitude of correct
neutrality, but at the same time as
sert its rights and privileges, according
to all universally accepted standards
of international law, guided solely by
it's own self interest, present and flu
ture, and our duties toward all belliger.
ents, with whom, one and all, We are
fortunately at peace and desire to re.
main so.
The presidents words, however, des'
cribe and refer to an Insignificant, min
GRITTY among US, a hybrid species who
in a period of exceeding delicacy OF
international relations would have this
government committed by the admins
tration to unneutral acts and policies
in order and solely to favor the coun
try of their origin. To such persons,
who thus render allegiance to for
eign flag at this critical time, the oath
of naturalization is anly another
"scrap of paper" They are not all on
one side or on either side of the terri
BILE conflict now raging in Europe
Partisans of both sides can now be
found among these hyphenated citi'
zens, whose presence was recognized
by the president even before the war
began. Some of these and some also
Of their dupes of American birth now
want this country committed to a pol
icy fraught with the gravest danger
now and still greater hereafter, should
we ourselves become engaged in war
PLAIN AMERICAN.