Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-11
The Address in Full


The stenograph copy of MIR. Wilson's
address in full follows:
1T warns my heart that you should
give me such a reception, but il is not
of myself that I wish to think tonight,
but Of those who have Just become cit-
zens OF the United States. This is the
only country in the world which expert
ences this constant and repeated re-birth.
Other countries depend upon the multi
plcation of their own native people. This
country is constantly drinking strength
out Of new source. by the voluntary as
ISOLATION with it of great bodies OF
strong men and forward-lookin women.
And so by the gift of the free will OF in
dependent people it is constantly being
renewed from generation to generation
by the same process by which il was
originally created. II is a. if humanity
had determined to see to it that this
great nation, founded for the benefit o:
humanity, should not lack for the allie
glance of the people Of the world.
Oath Of Allegiance
You have just taken an oath Of allie
glance to the United States OF allie
glance TO whom? OF allegiance TO no one
unless il be God. Certainly not of allie
glance to those who Temporarily; repre-
sent this great government. You have
taken an oath of allegiance TO A great
ideal. 10 : great body Of principles, to
great hope of the human race You have
said We are going to America net only
10 earn living, not only to seek things
which it was more difficult to obtain
yy-l,D
ward the great enterprises of the human
sp:rit-to let men know that everywhere
IN the world there are men who will
cross strange oceans and go where a
speech is spoken which is alien to them.
knowing that whatever the speech, there
is but one longing and utterance Of the
human heart. and that is for liberty and
justice. And while you bring all coun
tries 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 shoulders and
seeking 10 perpetuate what you intend q
leave IN them. / certainly would not be
one even to suggest that a man ceases
to love the home of his birth and the ma
ton OF his origin-these things are very
sacred and ought not to be pu, on. of
our hearts-but it is one thing to love the
pace where you were born and it is an
other thing to dedicate yourself to the
place to which you go. You cannot ded-
icate yourself to America unless Won he.
come IN every respect and with every
purpose OF your will thorough Ameri-
cans. You cannot become thorough
Americans if you think of yourselves i,
Europe. America does not consist Of
groups. man who thinks of himself
as belonging to a particular national
group in America has not yet become a,
American. and the man who goes anon.
you to trade upon your nationality is
no worthy son to live under the Stars
and Stripes
Think First Of Humanity
My urgent advice to you would be
Tot only always to think of America
hrst, but always also to think first Of
humanity. Yuo do not love humanity
II you seek to divide humanity into
Jealous camps. Humanity can be
welded together only by love. by sym-
pathy. by justice, not by jealousy and
hatred. / am sorry for the man who
SSShS " 1ildAS peISOudl capital out of
the passions Of his fellow men. He
has lost the touch and ideal of Amer
lea for America was created to unite
mankind by those passions which lift
and not by the passions which sepa
rate and debase. We came to Amer
lea, either ourselves or in persons of
our ancestors, to better the ideals Of
men, to make them see finer things
than they had seen before, to get rij
of things that divide and to make
sure of the things that unite. 1t was
but an historical accident no doubt
that this great country was called
The United States and yet am very
thankful that it has the word United
in its title, and the man who seeks to
divide man from man, group from
group. interest from interest, In the
United States, is striking at its very
heart.
1T is a very interesting circum-
stance to me. in thinking of those Of
you who have just sworn their ALE
glance to this great government that
you were drawn across the ocean by
some reckoning finger of hope. by