Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-20
Wilson's Speech
Before the D. A. R.
COUNSELS SELF POSSESSION
AND CALMNESS.
GUARDED IN REMARKS
Told His Auditors He Could Speak
Only in General Terms-French Am
bassador Praises United States.

Washington, April 19.-The need of
self possession, calmness and a Judicial
temperament on the part of the United
State in the present world crisis was
urged today by President Wilson in a
speech before the opening session of
the twenty fourth Continental con-
gress of the Daughters of the Amert-
can Revolution. The president said
elf-possession was the supreme test OF
nations mettle, and urged the con-
gress to rally to the cause of righteous
ness as ministered by those who hold
their minds quiet and judge upon
principle.
Gratitude of the World for U. S.
Following the presidents speech,
Ambassador Jusserand of France told
the congress that the United States
had behaved in the European crisis in
such g. way as to command the graft
tude and thankfulness of the world.
I'VE in France" he said, have
learned to know what the American
gold that is in it. l am glad that 1
may affirm the thanks of France for
the generosity of America-the neutral
United States"
The ambassador said the "chief
question in the European struggle
America in revolutionary times. 1--WE
thought we had solved the problem of
human liberty" he added, "but it again
confronts US. 1t will be solved now
just as it was solved in former times,
as it was solved in the trenches at
Yorktown
The president in his speech declared
that he could speak only in general
terms, and that 1t was "indiscreet" for
him to speak even in that way.
Preparing for Election.
Mrs. John Hays Hammond, R. C. B.
Thurston, president-general of the
Sors of the Revolution, and John Bar
rett, director general of the Pan
American union, also addressed today S
meetings of the congress. The routine
organization of the congress was COM
pleted and the rival followers of the
two candidates for president general
OF the society were busy preparing for
the election Wednesday.
Mrs. William Cumming Story, who
candidate for reelection, and she will
be opposed by Mrs. George Thacher
Guernsey of Kansas.
President Wilson's Address.
The presidents address follows:
In these times when unusual things
are happening, and there are many
queries as to the future. I suppose
that these associations whose business
it is to comm emorate the past must be
asking themselves what part they have
in the future. Our business, of course
is not merely one of recollection, not
merely the business of remembering
and reverencing the traditions of the
country that we love. There Is nc
dignity in a tradition which has lost
its practical energy, and our interest
in traditions is that they should bear
90 N a NroC Cfi
richer fruitage in the future
Nation Wants MettIe.
"Your society is particularly in
tended to commemorate the circum-
stances of the birth of this nation, but
I take it for granted that it is not your
thought to create an exclusive COM
pany Of those whose recollections by
heredity run back to that great day
but that your thought is also of the
constant rebirth Of the nation. In a
peculiar degree the United States
generation, because renewed out of al
the sources of human energies in the
world. There is here great melting
pot in which we must compound q
precious metal. That metal is the
metal of nationality, and if you will not
think l am merely playing upon words
would like to spell the word metal
in two ways. For it is just the mett1e
of this nation that we are now most
interested in.
Seif-Possession Supreme Test.
"There are many tests by which q
nation makes proof of it's greatness
but it seems to me the supreme test
is self possession, the power to resist
excitement, to think calmly, to think
in moments of difficulty as clearly as
it would think in moments of ease
to be absolutely master of itself and OF
it's fortunes.
Therefore. it seems to me that the
object Of traditions such as this socie.
ty cherishes, and means to assist il
perpetuating, is to show US the basis
OF principle upon which we shall keeI
our poise. We are interested in the
United States, politically speaking, il
nothing but human liberty. We are
no. interested in politics of govern.
ment for their own sake venture tt
say that if there should ever be dis.
covered better form of government
than the democratic, we should wish tt
adept it, because it was better, for ou,
object is not to stick in the dark, oul
object is not merely to preserve forms
but to preserve a precious essence
ana that Is the essence of equal Oppor.
tunity and essential human rights
Such ideals cannot be maintained witt
SteadineSS of view amidst contest ant
excitement and what am constantIy
hoping is that every great influenced
as YOU ladies exercise, for example
will be exercised to produce the sober
second thought upon every critica
matter that arises. The first though
is apt to proceed from impulse, is ap
to proceed from prejudice, from pre-.
objection, from some transient sympa.
thy, but we cannot afford to sympa.
tnize with anybody or anything excep
the passing generations of human be.
ines. America forgets what she wa.
BON for when she does exactly thu
way every other nation does-when sh,
loses her recollection Of her main OBJ.
ject, as sometimes nations do and
sometimes, perhaps, she herself ha.
done, in pursuing some immediat.
and transitory object.
Preserve judicial Temperament.
ct cannot speak, ladies', as yoJ
know, in more than general terms
Indeed, it is indiscreet for me to speal
at all. But can ask you to rally Il
the cause which is dearer in my esti.
maLior than any other cause and
thai is the cause of righteousness al
miristered to by those who hold theil