Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-12
Tn Preserve Foundations

| To Preserve fOunQdtlOnS
Tho United States, the President said,
.ns moi merely trying to keep out of
..,uhle but was trying to preserve the
..nrdations upon which peace could
HE rebuilt
neclaring his faith in the loyalty
=. tho great body of naturalized citi-
,.ns of foreign birth, the President
la ne believed the impression was
,oo general that a very large number
- ,hsss citizens were without a suffi-
ss,.,t affection for the American ideal.
tnpr, am in 2 hurry to have line
l., he explained, land let the men
Evho are thinking first of other coun-
bees stand or one side, and those who
70 Tor America. first. last and all the
k,ime IN the other side
The Presidents Address
The President spoke in part as fol-
Bows:
There is very great thrill to be
AaG from the memories of the Amer
acsn revolution. but the American Rev
Ermtion was a beginning, not a con-
Elimination; and the duty laid upon us
hy that beginning is the duty of bring
En- the things then begun to noble
triumph Of completion.
The American Revolution was the
birth Of a nation; il was the creation
Iii A great free republic, based upon
traditions Of personal liberty which
heretofore had been confined to sim
h. little island but which 1t was pur-
nosed should spread to all mankind.
Il There never was time when we
needed more clearly to conserve the
krincipIes of our own patriotism than
ahis present time The rest of the
Norld from which our politics were
Drawn seems for the time in the cru
fibe and no man can predict what
Nil come out Of that crucible. We
atand apart uncontrolled. conscious of
crr own principles, conscious of what
b. hope and purpose so far as our
Bowers permit for the world at large,
>nd il is necessary that we should
Consolidate the American principle.
Every political action, every social &C
Mon, should have for its object in Am
trica al this time to challenge the
bprit Of America: to ask that every
han and woman who thinks first of
america should rally to the standards
t our life There have been some
Among US who have not thought first
n America, who have thought first to
be the might of America in some
batter not of Americas originative,
Ind they have forgotten that the first
Euty Of a nation is to express its prin-
kples in the action of the family of
ba.ions and not to seek to aid and
hhet any rival or contrary ideal.
Neutrality is a negative word. 1t
= word that does not express what
america ought to feel America has
} heart. and that heart throbs with
bE sorts of intense sympathies. out
america has schooled its heart to love
2he things that America believes in
hnd it ought to devote itself only to
fhs things that America believes IN.
hnd. believing that America STANDS
kpar; in its ideals. it ought not to al
6ss itself to be drawn, SO far as its
fsart is concerned, into anybody's
Quarrel, because America has promis-
the world to stand apart and main
pain certain principles of action winch
Pre- founded in law and in justice. We
PR not trying to keep out of trouble
Re are trying to preserve the founda-
ions upon which peace can be re-
fuit Peace can be rebuilt only upon
PIE ancient and accepted principles OF
Pntsrnstional law, only upon those
things which remind nations OF their
faties to each other and deeper. than
nat of their duties to mankind and
umanity.
America has great cause which is
not confined TO the American CONT
heat Il is the cause Of humanity it
si dc not mean that in anything
ay to imply a judgment upon any
lation or upon any policy, for my
eeiect here this afternoon is not to
VI IN Judgment upon anybody but
ourselves and to challenge you to as
la al Of us who are trying to make
America conscious of nothing so much
her own principles and her duty.
aook forward to the necessity In every
satical agitation in the years which
immediate at hand Of calling upon
E'ers man TO declare himself. where
stands. Is it America first. or is
hot' We ought to be very carefM
s'u' some Of the impressions that
are forming just now. There is too
.aeA an impression, / fear. that
wv large numbers Of our fellow cit
us porn in other lands have not en-
s~ineo with sufficient intensity and
sseuon the American ideals, but
numbers are not large. Those |
~ would seek to represent them are
nv vocal but they are not very in
u.ai Some Of the best stun OF |
~ s''ca has come out Of foreign lands.
some or the best stuff in America |
- me men who are naturalixed cit
OF the United States. would
AFRAID upon the test Of Amer
sr.; alst to take census Of all the
s".oorn citizens of the United
H. ~ Tor l know the vast majority Of
l @me here because they believed
Is hca and their belief in Amer
-. made them better citizens than
q peopie who were born in Amer
u. l am not deceived as
-, balance Of opinion among the
~. oorp citizens of the United
0oI ! am in a hurry to haye I