The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-05-14
WILSON IS
FOR PEACE
Declares America Must Sci
That Example
SPEAKS IN PHILADELPHIA
He Stirs Enthusiasm Of 1000
Naturalized Citizens-Aim In
This Crisis is Good Of
Humanity.
SPEAKS IN PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia President Wilson
gave TO gathering of 1000 natural
ized Americans the first intimatior
OF the course which the United
States government probably will pur-
sue In tie situation resulting from
the loss of more than a hundred
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 convince Germany OF
the injustice to mankind OF the trag-
edy last Friday.
America, said the President,
must have the consciousness that on
all sides il touches elbows and touch
es hearts with all the nations or
mankind The example of America
must be special example Ana
must be an example OF peace not
merely because it will not fight, but
| because peace is a healing and ele-
waiting influence of the world, and
strife is not.
There is such a thing as man
being too proud TO fight There Is
such thing as being so right that
il does not need TO convince others
by force that it is right"
The sentiment expressed in the
Presidents speech was epitomized
later by one of his closest advisers
as humanity first" While it had
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-no mat
ter how vigorous--it will have as It's
object the good of humanity.
introduced by Mayor Blankenburg,
who. in a distinctly German accent
spoke a welcome and an appeal tor
a single allegiance to the united
States. the President carried forward
the idea of the welding OF foreign
blood in the makeup Of America oy
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 WIN
a purpose of leaving all other coun-
tries behind you-bringing what Is
hest of their spirit. but not looking
over your shoulder or seeking 10
perpetuate what you leave in them.
[ certainly would not be one VINO
would suggest that man cease 10
love the place OF his origin. IL Is
one thing 10 love the place where
YOU were born and another thing to
dedicate yourself 10 the place where
you 90. You can't be an American
II you think of yourself in groups
America does not consist OF groups.
man wno considers himself as be
longing 10 a national group is not
yet an American.
MY advice TO you is TO think hrst
not only of America, but to thlnk
first of humanity, and you do not
love humanity if you seek to divide
humanity in jealousc amps.
81 am sorry for the man who seeks
to make personal capital out OF the
passions of his fellow man. he mas
lost touch and ideal of America, for
America was created TO unite man
kind by the passions that lift and
mite and not by the passions that
separate and debase mankind.
THE man who seeks. to DIVIDE
man from man. group from group,
interest from interest in the United
States is striking at It's very
heart.
I WAS born in America. You
dreamed of what America was 10 be,
and hope you brought the dreams
with you.
To Realize High Hopes.
NO man who does not see visions
will ever realize am high hopes OF
undertake any great enterprise.
In his peroration the President
said that he had felt that he ought
not 10 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 and like TO come
and stand in the presence OF my
fellow citizens and drink out OF the
common fountain with them. feelng
a NVF