Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-05-11
PRESIDENT WILSON
SPEAKS FOR PEACE
Addressed Great Meeting Of
Foreign Born Citizens In
Philadelphia Last Night

VIII pursue in the situation resulting
from the loss of more than a hundred
American lives on the British liner
| Lusitania.
He spoke by implication but his hear.
ers interpreted his remarks as meaning
that while the United States will re-,
main at peace it would seek to convince
Germany of the injustice to mankind of
the tragedy of last Friday.
America" " said the president,
must have the consciousness that on
all sides it touches elbows and touches
heart with all nations of mankind. The
example Of America must be a special
example and must be an example not
merely of peace because it will not
fight, but because peace is sealing and
elevating influence in the world and
strife is not.
"There is such a thing as man
being too proud to fight. There is such
thing as nation being so right that
it does not need to convince others bv
force that it is right"
These remarks precipitated tumult
Of applause and patriotic enthusiasm
emphasized by waving of small Ameri.
can flags. The president made no di.
rect reference to the Lusitania tragedy
but the audience did not hesitate to
read the application of his statement.
Humanity First" Is Keynote.
The sentiment expressed in the presi.
dents speech was epitomized later by
one of his closest advisers as "human-
ity first. " While it had not yet been
determined, he said, exactly what steps
would be taken by the United States in
the present crisis, the idea uppermost
in the president s mind was to show
that whatever course is adopted-no
matter how vigorous-it will have as
its objective the god of humanity.
"While you bring" he said "all
countries with you, you come with Il
PIrpose Of leaving all other countries
bchinG you bring what is best of their
spirit but not looking over your
shoulder or seeking to perpetuate what
you leave in them. ! would not Ger.
tainly be one who would suggest that Il
man cease to love the place Of his
origin. 1t is one thing to love the place
where you were born, and another thing
T. dedicate yourself to the place where
you 20. You can't be an American il
you think of yourself in groups. Ameri.
ca does not consist of groups. A man
who considers himself as belonging tC
national group is not yet an Ameri-
can.
"My advice to you is to think first
not only Of America, but to think first
Of humanity and you do not love
humanity if you seek to divide human.
ity in pealous camps" "
Applause Is Spontaneous.
Inc president was constantly inter,
ruptcd by spontaneous outbursts of np.
plausc, He spoke clearly and so quiet
was mis- audience Of $1,000 thnt q
colld be heard distinctly in all pats
of the great hall, Everywhere the red,
white and blue flag and bunting was
displayed and band during the even
ing played patriotic airs Some Of the
passages in his speech which the cr5-~d
applauded most loudly were these:
81 am sorry for the man who seeks
to make personal capital out Of the pas.
sions Of his fellow man. He has lost the
touch and ideal Of America, for Amer.
lea was created to unite mankind by the
passions that separate and dcbase man.
kind.
"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.
81 was born in America. You
dreamed of what America was TO be-
and l hope you have brought those
dreams with you. No man who does
not see visions will ever realize any
high hopes or undertake any great en-
terprse
What Liberty Means,
~ certainly would not be one to
even suggest that q man ceases TO love
the home Of his birth and the nation Of
his origin-thcse things are very sacred
and ought not to be put out Of our
he0rts-but it is one thing to love the
place where you were born and it is
another thing 10 dedicate yourself TO
the place to which you co. You cannot
dedicate yourself to America until you
become in every respect and with every
purpose Of your viii thorough Ameri
cans You cannot become thorough
Americans il you think Of yourselves
in groups. America does not consist Of
groups
"a man who thinks of himself as
belonging 20 a particular national group
in America has not yet become an
American; and the man who goes among
you 10 trade upon your nationality is
no worthy son to live under the Stars
aud Stripes,
"My urgent advice to you would be
not only always 90 think first Of
America, but always 70 think first Of
humanity. You do not love humanity
II you seek 10 divide humanity into
Jealous camps Humanity can be weld
ed together only by love, by sympathy,
by Justice, not by jealousy and hatred.
| am sorry for the man who seeks 10
make personal capital out Of The pas.
.ious Of his fellow men. He has lost the
touch and ideal Of America, for America
was created 10 unite mankind by those
passions which lift and not hy the pas
,ions which separate and debase.
United Wen chosen.
owe came 10 America, either our
selves or in the persons Of our ances.
ors. 10 better the ideals Of men, 70
make them see finer things than they
md senn hefnfe. 10 get nd Of things