Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-31

place that one Of the principles which
America held dear was that small And
weak states had as much right to their
sovereignty and independence as large
and strong states. She believes that
because strength and weakness have
nothing to do with her principles. Her
principles are for the rights and lib
critics of mankind. and this is the
who believe that sublime and sacred
creed of humanity
And l also said that / believed that
the people of the United States were
lance of the nations that would guar
antee public right above selfish agrees
sion: Some of the public prints have
reminded me, as II needed to be re-
minded. of what Gen. Washington
warned us against. He warned us
against entangling alliances. 1 shall
never myself consent to an entan-
CLING alliance. but ! would GLADLY as
sent to disentangling alliance-an
alliance which would disentangle the
binations in which they seek their
own separate and private interests and
unite the people of the world to pre-
serve the peace of the world upon a
basis of common right and Justice
There is liberty there. not limitation.
There Is freedom, not ENHANCEMENT.
There is the achievement of the high
est things for which the United States
mas declared Its principle.
Touches Upon Preparedness.
We have been engaged recently, my
fellow -citizens. in discussing the pro-
cesses Of preparedness. I have been
trying to explain to you what we are
getting prepared for, and I want to
point out to you the only process of
preparation which is possible for the
United States. 1t is possible for the
United States to get ready only If the
men of suitable age and strength will
volunteer to get ready.
II heard the President of the United
States Chamber of Commerce report
the other evening on referendum to
$50 of the chambers of commerce of
the United States upon the question of
preparedness. and he. reported that
SO per cent Of them had voted in favor
are going to apply the acid test to
these gentlemen, and 1.-The acid test is
this: VIII they give the young men
in their employment freedom to volun-
dunn had included that because that is
the essence of the matter.
ut is all very well to say that some
body else must prepare, but are the
business men of this country ready
themselves to lend hand and sac
get ready? We shall have an answer
to that question in the next few
months. A bill is lying upon my table
now, ready to be signed. which bris-
ties all over with that Interrogation
point. and ! want all the business men
of the country to see that interroga-
ton point staring them in the face. I
have heard great many people talk
about universal training. Universal
voluntary training. with all my heart.
if you wish it, but America does not
wish anything but the compulsion of
the spirit of America.
-Compulsion of Public Opinion.
Il, for my part, do not entertain any
serious doubt of the answer to these
questions, because l suppose there is
no place in the world where the COM
pulsion of public opinion is more i'm
perative than it is in the United States
You know yourself how you behave
when you think nobody is watching.
And now all the people of the United
States are watching each other. There
never was such a blazing spotlight
upon the conduct and principles of
every American as each one of US now
walks and blinks in it.
And as this spotlight sweeps it's re-
lentless rays across every square mile