Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-04-20
fruitage in the present and a still rich
err fruitage in the future

fruitage in the present and Still rich
err fruitage in the future.
your society is particularly intended
to commemorate the circumstances OF
the birth of this nation. But take it
for granted that it is not your thought
to create an exclusive company or
those whose recollections OF 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
State seems to be reborn from genera
ton to generation. because renewed
out of all the sources Of human energy
in the world. There Is here great
melting pot in which we must COM
pound a precious metal. That metal Is
the metal of nationality. and II you
will not think I am merely playing
upon words, I would like to spell the
word metal in two ways. For 1t is
Just the mettle of this nation that we
are now most interested IN.
There are many tests by wnlch
nation makes proof Of its greatness,
self-possession, the power to resist ex-
element, to think calmly, to think In
moments of difficulty as clearly as IL
would think in moments OF ease-to pc
absolutely master Of itself and OF It's
fortunes.
Object Of Traditiin.
object Of traditions such as this so
ciety cherishes and means to assist in
perpetuating is to show us the bases Of
principle upon which we shall keep our
poise. We are interested in the United
States, POLITICAL speaking, in nothing
but human liberty. We are not inter-
their own sake. I venture to say that
If there should ever be discovered
better form of government than the
democratic, we should wish to adopt 1t
because it was better, for our object is
not to stick in the bark. our object is
not merely to preserve forms. but to
preserve a precious essence. and that
is the essence Of equal opportunity and
essential human rights. Such Ideals
cannot be maintained with steadiness
of view amid contest and excitement.
and what / am constantly hoping is
that every great influence such as you
ladies exercise, for example, Will be
exercised to produce the sober second
thought, upon every critical matter
that arises.
from impulse, Is apt to proceed from
prejudice, from prediction. from some
transient sympathy. but we cannot af-
ford to sympathize with anybody or
anything except the passing genera
lions of human beings. America for
~
does exactly the way every other ma
zion does, when she loses her recol-
lection Of her main object, as some-
times nations do and sometimes per-
haps she herself has done. in pursuing
some immediate and transltory object.
Must Be Judicial.
Il cannot speak. ladies. as you know.
in moro than general terms. Indeed.
IL
But 1 can ask you to rally to the
cause which is dearer in my estimation
than any other cause. and that Is the
cause of righteousness as ministered
to by those who hold their minds quiet
and judge according to principle. We
must preserve the judicial tempera-
ment, not because we should sit in
judgment upon others. but because we
should ultimately wish to sit in judg-
should ultimately wish to be justified
by our own condolences and by the
standards of our own national life.
do you wonder that, hoping for such
bodies Of people like this. I should
be glad to come and greet you; that
should esteem 1t an honor to say
that hope I shall have some part in
tho great things that you are trying
to do and to create in the field Of the
national spirit?"
Ambassador Jusserand Grateful.
Following the Presidents speech, Am
bassador Jusserand of France told the
congress that the United States had
behaved in the European crisis in such
a way as to command the gratitude and
thankfulness of the world.
I'VE in France" he said, have
learned to know what tho American
heart is made of-the pure American
gold that is in 1t. am glad that
may affirm the thanks of France for
the generosity of America-the neutral
United States"
The ambassador said the chief ques-
ton In the European struggle" was the
same problem that confronted America
in revolutionary times.
I'VE thought we had solved the prob
lem of human liberty" he added. But
it again confronts us. 1t will be solved
now just as 1t was solved in former
times, as it was solved in the trenches
at Yorktown"
Mrs. John Hays Hammond. r. c. B.
Thurston, president general OF the sons
of the American Revolution, and John
Barrett. director general of the Pan
American Union, also addressed the
congress.