Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-18

pie OF the United States what sort OF
!. PURPOSES they ought to entertain. and
INsWhat sort OF discretion they ought TO
y exercise. in order TO use those engines
OF force as engines to promote the In
Ssterests OF humanity.
For the interesting and inspiring
.Ssthing about America is that she asks
& nothing for herself except wha, she
4 has right 10 ask for humanity itself.
We want no nations property. we wish
(, to question no nations honor, VIC wish
ssttos stand sclfshly in the way OF no
& nation: we want nothing that we can
i not get by our own Legitimate enter
prise, and by the inspiration of our
example and standing for these things,
* 1t is not pretention on our part TO say
we are privileged to stand for what
every nation would wish TO stand for
& and speaking for those things which
all humanity must desire.
/: FLAG MOVES AS If 1T HAD
SETTLED SPIRIT IN IT
When think OF the flag which
those ships carry. the only touch OF
color about them. the only thing that
moves as ii ii had settled spirit in
{ IT. in their solid structure, II seems to
= me that see alternate strips OF Parch-
4 ment on which are written tho right
of liberty and Justice. and stripes of
blood spilled 10 vindicate those rights;
and then, in tho corner. prediction
y of the blue serene into which every
( nation may swim which stands for these
great things.
THE mission of America is the only
thing that sailor soldier should
think about: he has nothing To do with
5 the formulation Of her policies; he is
( to support her policy whatever it is
but he is TO support her policy in the
2 spirit of herself. and the strength OF
c
being administer tho affairs or this
nation. do not originate her spirit: we
attempt TO emSody 1T; we attempt toi
realize il in action; we are dominated
by it; we DO not dictate il.
And so with every man in arms
who serves the nation. he stands and
waits to DO the things which the nation
desires. America sometimes seems.
perhaps. 10 forget her program. or
rather, ! will say, that sometimes those
) who represent her seem To forget her
program. But the people never forget
them. II is as startling rs il is touch |
ing TO sec how whenever YOU touch a
principle. you touch the hearts Of the
people OF the United states. They lis
ten 10 your debates Of policy. they
determine which party they will pre-
fer in power. they choose and prefer |
as Ordinary men; but their real afrec .
ton, their real force. their real ire |
sistihlc momentum is Toy the ideals |!
which men cmhOdy.
FEELS GREAT SPIRIT
OF PEOPLE THEMSELVES |
II never so on the streets Of a great ,
T, city without feeling that somehow ! /
do not confer elsewhere than ON tho |
streets with the great spirit Of the |
people themselves. going about their |
business, attending to the things which /
concern them, and yet carrying /
tres sure at their hearts all the while.
ready to he stirred not only as inii- |
viduals. but as members of a great |
union of hearts that constitute pa
triotic people
And so this sight in the river
touches me merely as symbol ot that /
and ii Guickens the pulse Of every man ,
who realizes these things, TO have any /
thing 10 do with them. When crisis .
occurs in this country. il is as If YOU
put your hand on tho pulse Of a dy- |
namo; il is rs If things which YOU |
were in connection with were spirit- .
ually bred YOU had nothing TO do
with them, except II you listen truly {
10 speak the things that YOU hear
These things now brood over the /
river; this spirit now moves with the I
men who represent the nation in tho
navy these things Will move upon the
waters III the marcuvers; no threat
lifted against any man, against any
nation, against any interest. but just
q great solemn evidence that the force
of America Is the force OF moral prin-
ciple, that there is not anything else
that she loves, and that there is not
anything else for which she will CON
tend"