American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1915-10-21

cly-lQanO ais fOSC.
H PRESIDENTS GREAT SPEECH.
The speech delivered before the meeting of the Daugh-
tiers of the American Revolution at Washington on Mon
day last, should be carefully read. Indeed it will have to
be read twice by the average reader before it can be
accurately analysed and appreciated. 1t is an OLD bene1
that a man of a certain order of mind must be IN love win
some woman in order to bring out the best that is IN MS
intellect.
It is a safe bet that when on Monday evening the presi-
dents fiancee whispered to him her admiration OF the
speech, he whispered back that she was his Inspiration,
that all the time he was talking the vision Of her was be-,
fore his eyes, her voice was in his ears, that whatever OF
charm and rhythm he was able to clothe his speech IN
came from the ecstacy OF the enchantment she ho
woven around him.
This state of his mind, or rather the soul behind the
mind unconsciously gave a sensuous cadence to the ex-
uuisite language that fell from his lips. AS a literary pro-
duction the speech is a perfect classic. The lamp OF the
study, with every trace of smoke and film eliminated
shines out divinely. 1t is the product OF years OF study
of the great masters of literature until the soul is saturaI-
ed with their splendors and so assimilated that in giving
them a new Interpretation all that may have been gross
or unclean has been rejected.
While as a composition it is perfect, it is the perfection
of the university rather than of the statesman, the cold
and severe logic of science, rather than the mingled heart
and brain production which never forgets that man at pest
is finite and ALWAYS under the sway OF impulses, ana pas
sions and natural %prejudices sometimes strong as lie IT,
self.
The presidents description of the creation of our ma
ton bv the commingling of races on our soil and OF the
majesty of the result because behind all the inherent
rights of man was the chiefest plank in the platform OF our
government is fine, and his lnSlStence Cnat WIFI pei,
feet citizen the thought must be "Our country first, last
and all the time" is well enough when properly lncer-
preted, but it does not make clear the whole situation.
Suppose that when the president graduated from col
lege, he had decided to spend a year abroad; that ne nad
gone to Paris; that there a wonderful position Tor he
had been offered him; that beside a marvelously Deauti-
full and accomplished French lady had consented TO be ms
wife: that so surrounded he had determined TO make
France his home and had accordingly become a french
citizen, absolving his allegiance to native land. suppose
that among his friends there had been a young Englsh-
man with like tastes and aspirations, and that their 1rlen-
shin had become like that of David and Jonathan-"a love
stronger than the love of woman"-andt that this had con-
t;nued for a score of years; that both had over and over
piven full expression of their loyalty to France.
Then suppose a great war had broken out between Great
Britain and the United States, is it reasonable TO suppose
that these two men would not have taken a deep interest,"
in ito Is it unreasonable to believe that at last tney mghC
have ouarreled and fought over it? Suppose the final
quarrel had been in a French club, would it have been falr
for the native French members to have doubted, because
of the quarrel, the true fealty of either to France. :,
To expect that foreign born people IN our country VIII
not take a deep interest in the present great war, Is 10
expect that a man will forget the mother who bore him and
the cradle in which he was rocked. And because true men
cannot nut aside those memories, to have a suspicion that
if our country were to be assalled, they wouo hoI spring
to it's defense is not fair.
And what we understand by neutrality on the part OF
Americans is to be neutral, that is to be absolutely 1ah
under the law to all the b%elligerent powers; not to eX
meet the foreignborn men in our midst, not to be naturally
swayed by the birthmarks on their souls, but as Americans
for us to present such a front, that at last when the Hgnt
mo mowers shall be enough exhausted to listen 10 reason
our country may help in the final Observation-Disclosures
Weekly.
D,,1DpCIUvINr THE WRONG WAY