Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-11
UMANITY FIRST
President Wilson Indicates Americas
Course.

Course.
President Wilson gave to a gather
ing Of 1000 naturalized Americans In
Philadelphia last night, the first in
timation Of the course the United
States probably will pursue the loss Of
uation resulting from the loss Of
more than a hundred American lives
on the British liner Lusitania. He
spoke by implication, but his hearers
interpreted his remarks as meaning
that while the United States would
remain at peace it would seek to con-
vince Germany Of the injustice to
mankind of the tragedy.
America" said the president,
must have the consciousness that on
all sides it touches elbows and touches
hearts with all the nations Of man
kind. The example Of America must
be a special example. And 1t must
be an example not merely Of peace
because it will not fight, but because
peace is a healing and elevating in
fiuence Of the world and strife Is not.
There is such thing as man be-
ing too proud to fight. There is such
thing as being so right that 1t does
not need to convince others by force
that it is right"
These remarks precipitated tumult
of applause and patriotic enthusiasm
attended by waving Of thousands OF
small American flags. The president
made no direct reference to the Lusi-
tania tragedy, but the audience did
not hesitate to read the application or
his statement.
The sentiment expressed in the
presidents speech was epitomized later
by one of his closest advisers as "hu-
manity first" While 1t had not yet
%
what steps would be taken by the
United States in the present crisis,
the idea uppermost in the presidents
mind was to show that whatever
course is adopted-no matter how
vigorous-it will have as its objective
the good Of humanity.
introduced by Mayor Blankenburg,
who spoke in distinctly German ac-
cent a welcome and an appeal for
single allegiance to the United States,
the president carried forward the idea
Of the welding Of foreign blood in
the makeup Of America by pointing
out the true goal of right American
citizenship to be loyalty not to the
country Of ones birth but to the land
of ones adoption.
while you bring all countries with
you," he said, you come with a pur-
pose of leaving all other countries be-
hind you-bringing what is best or
their spirit, but not looking over your
shoulder or seeking to perpetuate what
YOU leave in them. l certainly would
not be one who would suggest that
man cease to love the place Of his
origin. 1t is one thing to love the
place where you were born, ana an
other thing to dedicate yourself to the
place where you go. You can't be an
ftoly nf UnIrSalf
groups. America does not consist of
groups. A man who considers him
self as belonging to national group
is not yet an American.
Of Humanity First.
MY advice to you is to think hrst
not only Of America, but to think first
of humanity, and you do not love hu-
manity if you seek to divide humani-
ty into jealous camps"
The president was constantly inter-
rupted by spontaneous outbursts OF
applause. He spoke clearly and so
quiet was his audience Of $4,000 that
he could be heard distinctly in all
parts Of the hall. Everywhere red,
white and blue flags and bunting were
displayed and band during the even
ing played patriotic airs.
Some Of the passages in the presi-
dents speech which the crowd ap-
plauded most loudly were these:
II am sorry for the man who seeks
to make personal capital out Of the
passions Of his fellowman. He has
lost the touch and ideal Of America,
for America was created to unite man
kind by the passions that lift and
unite and not by the passions that
separate and debase mankind. :.
THE man who seeks to divide man
from man, group from group, inter-
est from interest in the United States
is striking at it's very heart. :.
II was born in America. You dream
ed of what America was to be, and l
hope you brought the dreams with
you. No man who does not see vi
sions will every realize any high hopes
or undertake any great enterprise"
The president aroused much enthu-
siasm when he said that he had felt
that he ought not to be away from
Washington, but after coming he
found that the gathering had renewed
his spirit as an American"
IN Washington" he said, men tell
you so many things every day that
are not so, that 1 like to come and
stand in the presence Of my fellow
citizens and drink out of the common
fountain with them, feeling the sense
of their support"