The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-05-15
WILSON SAYS j. S.
WILL NOT GO TO WAR
DENoUNcES THOSE WHO WOULD
MAKE CAPITAL OUT OF THE
SITUATION.
SHOULD NOT SEEK DISCORD
Tells 1000 Naturalized Americans
They Can Not Be Americans if They
Belong to Any National Group.

fnliduelpnla- - President WflSOr
gave to gathering OF 1000 naturaliz
ed Americans and 1000 others tn,
first intimation of the course tn,
United States will pursue in the sit
uation resulting from the loss of more
than hundred American lives on the
British liner Lusitania.
HIS hearers interpreted his remark:
as meaning that while the United
States will remain at peace, it will
seek to convince Germany of the in
justice to mankind of the tragedy.
America" said the president
must have the consciousness that on
all sides 1t touches elbows and touches
hearts with all nations of mankind
The example Of America must be a
special example, and must be an ex.
ample not merely of peace because IL
will not fight, but because peace is a
healing and elevating influence of the
world and strife is not
There Is such a thing rs a man
being too proud to fight. There is such
thing as being so right that 1t does
not need to convince others by force
that it is right"
These remarks precipitated a tu-
multi Of applause and enthusiasm, at
tended by a waving of thousands Of
small American flags. The president
made no direct reference to the Lusi-
tania tragedy.
Introduced by Mayor Blankenburg.
who spoke in a distinctly German ac-
cent, welcome and an appeal for a
single allegiance to the United States,
the president carried forward the idea
Of the welding of foreign blood to
make up America by pointing out the
true goal of American citizenship to
be loyal not to the country of ones
birth but to the land of ones adop-
ton.
while you bring" he said, all
countries with you, you come with a
purpose Of leaving all other countrias
behind you-bringing what is best Of
their spirit but not looking over your
shoulder or seeking to perpetuate what
you leave in them. I would certainly
not be one who would suggest that q
man cease to love the place of his orr
gin. 1t is one thing to love the place
Of your birth and another thing to
dedicate yourself to the place where
you 90. You can't be an American
If you think Of yourself In grou os.
America does not consist of groups. A
man who considers himself as belong.
ing to a national group is not yet an
American.
my advice to you is to think first
not OF America, but humanity, and you
do not love humanity If you seek to
divide humanity into jealous camps"
The president was constantly inter
rupted 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 great hall. Some of the
passages in his speech, which tile
crowd applauded most loudly were
these:
81 am sorry for the man who seeks
to make personal capital out Of the
passions Of his fellowman. He has
lost the touch and ideal of America,
for America was created to unite man.
kind by the passions that lift and
unite and not by the passions that
separate and debase mankind. 80
81 was born in America You dream.
ed Of what America was to be and I
hope you brought dreams with YOU
No man who does not see visions will
ever realize any high hopes or under.
take any great enterprise"
The president caused much enthu.
siasm when he said he felt he ought
not to be away from Washington and
after coming he found that the gath.
ering 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, feeling the sense
of their support"
There was tremendous ovation as
the president finished his speech. Az
terward he returned to the station and
entered his private car.
Because Of the present status of in
ternational affairs, extraordinary pre-
cautions had been taken to guard the
president during his stay in Philadel.
phia-