The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-11
U. S. IN RIGHT,
WILL NOT FIGHT
Wilson Holds War Not NeceS-
sary to Maintain Honor.
Peace Healing and Elexating
Influence of World.
HUMANITY FIRST" HIS AIM
Americans Can Not Think of
81 Selves i'm Groups.
President Appeals TO Patriotism
of Naturalized Citizens.
''HUMAMTY FIRST" HIS AIM

such thing as a man being too proud
to fight. There is such a thing as g
nation being so right that it does MOI
need to convince others by force thai
1T is right
In the words President Wilson gave
to a gathering of 1000 naturalizeo
Americans last night the first intima-
ton of what course the United States
government will pursue in the situa-
ton resulting from the loss of more
than a hundred American lives on the
British liner Lusitania.
He spoke by implication, but his
hearers interpreted his remarks IS
meaning that while the United States
would remain at peace 1t would seek
to convince Germany of the injustice
to mankind of the tragedy of last
Friday.
Touches Elbows With Nations.
America" said the president,
must have the consciousness that on
all sides it touches elbows and touches
The example of America must be a
special example and must be an exam
pie not merely of peace, because 1t
will not fight, but because peace is a
healing and eievating 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 a nation being SO right
that it does not need to convince 9TH
ers by force that it is right.
These remarks precipitated a tu-
multi of applause and patriotic en-
thusiasm attended by a waving OF
The president made no direct refer
ence to the Lusitania tragedy, but the
audience did not hesitate to read the
application of his statement
The sentiment expressed in the
presidents speech was epitomized
later by one of his closest advisers as
humanity first While it had not
yet been determined. he said, exactly
40 toll nv no
United States in the present crisis,
the idea uppermost in the presidents
mind was to show that whatever
course is adopted-no matter how
vigorous-it will have as its objective
the good of humanity.
Urges Single Allegiance.
Introduced by Mayor Blankenbu1 6,
who spoke in distinctly German ac-
cent, a 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 right american citizen
ship to be loyalty, not to the country
of ones birth, but to the land OF ones
adoption.
'eWhile you bring" he said, 'all
countries with you, you come with a
purpose of leaving all other countries
behind you-bring what is best of
their spirit, but not looking over your
shoulder or seeking to perpetuate
what you leave in them. I would not
certainly be one who would suggest
that a man cease to love the place of
his origin. 1t is one thing to love the
place of your birth, and another thing
to dedicate yourself to the place where
you go. You can't be an American if
you think of yourself in groups. Amer
lea does not consist of groups. A man
who considers himself as belonging to
a national group is not yet an Amer
lean.
MY advice to you is to think first,
not only of America, but to think first
of humanity, and you do not love hu-
mainly if you seek to divide humanity
in Jealous camps"
The president was constantly inter
rupted by spontaneous outburSts of
applause. Everywhere the red, white
and blue flag and bunting was dis
played and a band during the evening
played patriotic airs.
America Land of Units.
Some of the passages of his speech
which the crowd applauded most loud
ly were these:
1 am sorry for the man who
seeks to make personal capital
out of the passions of his fellow
men. He has lost the touch and
ideal of America, for America was
created to unite mankind by the
passions that lift and unite 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 its
very heart.
1 was born in America. You
dreamed of what America was to
be, and 1 hope you brought the
dreams with you. No man who
does not see visions viii ever real
ize any high hopes or undertake
any great enterprise.
In his peroratiOn the president
aroused much enthusiasm when he
said that he felt that he ought not to
be away from Washington and after
coming he found that the gathering
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 foun-
tain with them, feeling the sense of
their support
Reason Must Rule.
President Wilson declared that new
citizens must do more than simply
obey the laws of the United States.
Our passions must not be allowed
to overthrow our reason, he said.
eff we can, without sacrifice of our
honor and dignity, preserve or peace
with other nations, we shall be in
better position to help them when
the war shall end.
Those who have taken .he oath
of allegiance to the United States can
have no dual allegiance"
Prior to the presidents speech NOV
ing pictures showing leading events
in the lives of Presidents Washington
and Lincoln were thrown on a screen
= There was a tremendous ovation as
the president finished his speech.
Afterward he returned to the station
and entered his private car. He left
for Washington at midnight
Because of the present status of in
ternational affairs extra ordinary pre-
cautions had been taken to guard the
president during his stay in Philadel-
nh Sa1re1a hundred and fifty no