The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-12
Requests American Public to Observe Strictly Princi-
 pies of Neutrality
REQUESTS STAND
 FOR AMERICA FIRST
Expresses Faith in Patriotism of Naturalized Americans and Urges a Fuller Realization of What
 American Liberty Means

Washington. October 11.---A demand upon all Americans on pain of ostracism to be more than neutral in regard to the European war, to take their stand for America first, last and all the time. was voiced by President Wilson in speech at the celebration of the twenty fifth anniversary of the founding of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The United States. the President said. was not trying merely to keep out of trouble, but was trying to preserve the foundations on which peace could be rebuilt.
 Peace can be rebuilt" he said. "only upon the ancient and accepted princi- ples of international law: only upon those things which remind nations of their duties to each other. and, deeper than that. of their duties to mankind and humanity. America has great cause which Is not confined to the American continent. It Is the cause of humanity itself
 American Loyalty
 Declaring his faith in the loyalty of the great body of naturalIzed citizens of foreign birth, the President said he believed the impression was too general that large number of these citizens were without a sufficient affection for the American ideal. But am in q hurry to have a lne-up." he explained, 'and let the men who are thinking first of other countries stand on one side and those who are for America first, last and all the time on the other side"
 Every political action and every so- cial action in America at this time, said Mir. Wilson, should have for its object to challenge the spirit of Ameri- canism"
 The Presidents address follows:
 There is a very great thrill to he had From the memories of tho American revolution, but the American revolution was beginning, not consummation, and the duty laid upon us by that beginning Is the duty of bringing the things then begun to q noble triumph of completion. 1 For H seems to me that the peculiarlty of patriotism in America is that it is inot a mere sentiment It is an active principle Of conduct. It is something that was born into the world, not to please 1t. but to regenerate it. It is something that was born Into the world to replace systems that had preceded 1t and to bring men out upon new plane of privilege.
 Nations Birth
 '"The American revolution was the birth
 
 great free republic based upon traditions of personal liberty which heretofore had been confined to a single little island, but which 1t was purposed should spread to all mankind. And the singular fascna- tion of American history Is that 1t has been process of constant recreation' of making over again in each generation the thing which was conceived at first. You know how peculiarly necessary that has been in our case, because America has not grown by tho mere multiplica- tion of the original stock. It Is easy to preserve tradition with continuity of blood: it Is easy in single family to remember the origins of the race and the purpose of its organization. but it is not so easy when that race Is constantly being renewed and augmented from other sources from stocks that did not carry or organize the same principles.
 "So from generation to generation strangers have had to be indoctrinate with the principles of the American family. and the wonder and the beauty of 1t all has been that the infection has been so generously easy. For the prin- ciples of liberty are united with the prin- ciples of hope Every individual. as well as every nation, wishes to realize tha best things that is in him, the best thing that can be conceived out of the ma terials of which his spirit Is constructed It has happened in way that think fascinates the imagination that we have not only been augmented by additions from outside. but that we have been greatly stimulated by those additions.
 What Liberty Means
 Living in the easy prosperity of . free people. knowing that the sun had always been free to shine upon us and prosper our undertakings we did not realize how hard the task of liberty is and how rare the privilege of liberty is, and men were drawn out of every cii- mate and out of every race because of . an irresistible attraction of their spirits to the American ideal. They thought of
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