Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-04-23
PRESIDENT WILSON
TONEWSPAPERM
Chief Executive Not Running
From Trouble and Explains
Neutrality of United States.
Toast by Noyes.

Following are extract of the address
of President Wilson before the AS
sociated Press in New York last
Tuesday night:
My interest in the neutrality of
the United States is not the petty de-
sire to keep out of trouble. | have
never looked for it, but l have always
found it. / do not want to walk
around trouble. If any man wants a
scrap that is an interesting scrap and
worth while, am his man.
II warn him that he is not going
to draw me into scrap for his ad-
vertisement, but if he is looking for
trouble and that trouble is the trouble
of men in general and | can help Il lit
tie, why then | am in for it.
"But | am interested in neutrality
because there is something so much
greater to do than to fight, because
there is distinction awaiting for this
nation that no nation has ever got.
That is the distinction of self con-
troll and self mastery.
eve are trustees for the greatest
heritage that any nation ever had,
the love of justice and righteousness
and human liberty.
"The great heart of the American
people is just as sound and true as it
ever was. And it is II single heart:
it is the heart of America. 1t is not
The heart made up of sections selected
out of other countries Before
everything else love America"
"\Nn ora hacopoi,,fr ,,,o,e. ,,,l
by force of circumstances the medi-
tating nation of the world in respect
to its finance. We must make up
our minds which are the best things to
do and what are the best ways to do
them. We must-put our money, our
energy, our enthusiasm, our sympathy
into these things, and we must have
our judgments prepared and our spir-
its chastened against the coming of
that day. So that am not speaking
in selfish spirit when say that our
whole duty for the present. at any
rate, is summed up in this Motto:
America First
LET us think of America before
we think of Europe in order that
America may he fit to be Europe's
friend when the day of tested friend
ship comes. The test of friendship
is not sympathy now with the one
side or the other, but getting ready
to help both sides when the struggle
is cyei.
"America is the mediating nation.
The opinion of America, the action of
America, is ready to turn in any di.
rection."
Frank B. Noyes, President of the
Associated Press, introduced Presi-
dent Wilson in the following speech:
To-day we willingly lower our crest
to one who has demonstrated in these
agonizing times his mastership of the
principles of neutrality, and who, full
ly realizing the dreadful consequence
es of any departure from these prin-
ciples, has nobly borne this terrible
burden of responsibility in guarding
the peace, the welfare and the digni-
ty of our common country.
"Our distinguished guest may surely
know that in the perplexities and
trials of these days so black for hui
manity, he has our thorough, loyal
and affectionate support.
"God grant him continued success
in his high aims for the peaceful prog
ress of the people of the United
States.
"At these annual gatherings it is
our custom to offer but one toast.
81 ask you to drink to the health
of Woodrow Wilson, the President of
the United tSates."