Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-12
Time Near at Hand Whe Y
EUery Man Must Be
Called Upon TO De-
clare Himself.

WASlIlNGToN. October IA de-
mand on all Americans to be more than
neutral in regard to the European war
and to take their stand for America
first, last and all the time was voiced
by President Wilson to-day in speech
at the celebration of the twenty NTH
anniversary of the founding of the
Daughters OF tn" American Revolution.
The United states. the President said.
was not merely trying to keep out Of
trouble, but was trying To preserve tho
foundations upon which peace could be
rebuilt
Peace can lac rebuilt" he added.
only upon the ancient ANA accepted
principles of International law; only
upon those things which remind ma
tions Of their duties to others and,
deeper than that. of their duties 20
mankind and humanity America has
a great cause which is not confined to
the American continent. 1t is the cause
Of humanity itself"
Declaring his faith in the loyalty OF
the great body of naturaliZed citizens
OF foreign birth. the President said he
believed the Impression was too great
that a very large number of these cit
iZcns were. without sufficient affection
for the American ideal But I am in
a hurry to have a lineup" he ex-
planned. and let the men who arc
thinking first of other countries stand
on one side and those who are for
America first. last and all the time
on the other side
PATRIOTISM Is ACTIVE
PRINCIPLE OF CONDUCT
The Presidents address follows
There is a very great thrill to be
had from the memories of the Ameri-
can Revolution. but the American REV.
olution was beginning, not consum-
nation. and the duty laid upon US by
that beginning is duty bringing
things then begun to a noble triumph
OF completion. For it seems to ME that
the pcculiarity of patriotism In Amer
lea is that ii is not mere sentiment.
1t is an active principle of conduct
1t is something that was born into tho
world, not to please it, but to regene-
The American Revolution was tho
birth of nation; 1t was the creation
of a great free republic based upon
traditions OF personal liberty which
heretofore hnd been confined to
single little island, but which il was
purposed should spread TO all man
kind. And the singular fascination OF
American history is that il has been n
process OF constant recreation. or
making over again in each generation
the thing which was conceived at first
You know how peculiarly necessary
that has been in our case. because
America has not grown by the mere
multiplication OF the original stock
| 1t is to preserve tradition with con-
\ 4
tinuity OF blood but ii is not so
easy when that race is constantly be-
Ing renewed and augmented from
stocks that did not carry or originate
the same principles
GREATLY STIMULATED
by OUTSIDE ADDITIONS
80 from generation to generation
strangers have had to be doctrinated
with the principles OF the American
| family, and the wonder and the beauty
of II all has been that the infection
has been so generously easy; for the
principles of liberty arc united with
the principles of hope. Every indi-
! vidual. as we'll as every nation. wishes
TO realize the best things that is in
him. 1t has happened in way
that think fascinates the imagination
that we have not only been augmented
by additions from outside. but that
we have been greatly stimulated by
those additions.
Living in the easy prosperity OF
free people. We did not realize
how hard the task of liberty is ana
how rare the privilege of liberty is;
| and men were drawn out OF every cli-
mate and out of every race because
OF an irresistible attraction of their
sr!rits to the American ideal. They
thought of America as lifting
torch to light the pathway of men
to the things that they desire. and
men OF all sorts and conditions strug-
gled towards that light. and came TO
our shores with an eager desire to
rcaliZc il and Il hunger for il such as
some of us no longer felt, for we were
saturated and were indulging ourselves
after fashion that did not belong TO
the ascetic devotion OF the early de-
voices Of, those great principles so
they came to remind us of what we
had promised ourselves and through
ourselves had promised mankind
CONSTANT RENEWAL.
SOURCE OF REMINDER
For my part. 1 believe that the con-
start renewal of this people out OF
foreign stocks has been a constant
source Of reminder to this people of
what the inducement was that was
offered to men who would come and be
Of our number. For we hav. come TO a
time # special stress and :est There
never was Il time whca we needed
mere clearly to conserve the principles
Of our own patriotism than this pres-
ant time. The rest of the world fror:
which our policies were drawn seems
for the time in the crucible, and no
man can predict what Will come out
or that crucible. We stand apar:. un-
embroiled. conscious OF our own prin-
c!ples, conscious of what we hope and
purpo.e, so far as our powers permit
for iEc world Mt lnrrn and Il ir ,,nnno