The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1915-05-14
REMARKS Of WILSON
BELIEVED TO MEAN
PEACE WILL PREVAIL
IN PHILADELPHIA SPEECH PRES
IDENT MAKES NO DIRECT REF.
ERENCE TO LUSITANIA.
WAR CLOUD IS NOT so BLACK
America Will Seek to Convince Ger
many of the Injustice of the Great
Sea Tragedy Which She Has Per
petarted Upon Civilization.

PHILADELPHIA, May 11.-Presi.
dent Wilson gave to a gathering OF
1000 naturalized Americans last
night the first intimation of the
course of the United States will prob
ably pursue in the situation resulting
from the loss of more than one hun
dred American lives on the British
liner Lusitania. He spoke by impli-
cation, but his hearers interpreted
his remarks as meaning that, while
the United States would remain at
peace, it would seek to convince Ger,
many of the injustice to mankind OF
the tragedy.
America" said the President,
must have the consciousness that on
all sides it touches elbows and touch.
es heart with all the nations of man.
kind. The example of America must
be special example. And it must
be an example not merely of peace
because it will not fight, but because
peace is healing and elevating inf1u.
ence of the world and strife is not.
There is such thing as a man be-
ing too proud to fight. There is such
a thing as being so right that it does
not need to convince others by force
that it is right"
These remarks precipitated a tu-
multi of applause and patriotic enthu-.
siasm, attended by a waving of
thousands of small American flags.
The President made no direct refer.
ence to the Lusitania tragedy, but the
audience did not hesitate to read the
application of his statement.
The sentiment expressed in the
Presidents speech was epitomized
later by one of his closest advisers
as humanity first" While it had not
yet been determined, he said, exactly
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 matter how
vigorous-it will have as it's objective
the good of humanity.
introduced by Mayor Blankenburg,
who spoke in distinctly German ac-
cent, a welcome and an appeal for a
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" he said, "all
countries with you, you come with
purpose of leaving all other countries
behind you-bringing what is best OF
their spirit, but not looking over your
shoulder or seeking to perpetuate
what you have in them. / 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, and
another thing to dedicate yourself to
the place where you 60 You. can't
be an American if you think of your
self in groups. America does not con-
sist of groups. A man who considers
himself as belonging to a national
group is not yet an American. 4 y
my advice to you is to think first
not only Of America, but to think
first of humanity, and you do not love
humanity if you seek to divide hui
mainly into jealous camps"
The President was constantly in
terrupted 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.