The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-03-01
MAKES Ptfn MS COURSE.
WILSON STATES HIS POSITION IN
SPEECH BEFORE GRIDIRON
tsts,. CLUB. !..
President Declares That America
Should Keep Out Of the War at the
Sacrifice of Everything Except Her
Scrsc Of Humanity and Justice.

washington, Feb. 27.-President
wilson told members and guests at
the Gridiron club dinner last night
that America ought to keep out of
the European war 'at the sacrifice
of everything except this single thing
upon which her character and her
history are founded, her sense of hu-
manity and justice"
The address was confidential, since
the speeches at the dinners of the
Gridiron club, composed of newspaper
correspondents. are not reported. It
was made public tonight. however.
with the consent of the president ana
the club because many Of those who
heard 1t urged that it should go to
the country.
The president spoke of the nations
affairs with unusual gravity. His
hearers. including several hundred
members Of congress, government off,
cials, business men and correpond-
ei Is. were brought to their feet cheer
ing when he concluded with these
words:
II would be just as much ashamed
to be rash as. I would to be coward.
Valor Is self-respecting. Valor is
circumspect. Valor strikes only when
1t Is right to strike. Valor withholds
itself from all small implications and
entahglements and waits for the great
opportunity when the sword will flash
as II it carried tho light OF heaven
upon its blade" 49,
In his address he said:
II have very, little to- say tonight
except to express my warm apprecia-
ton Of the invariable courtesy Of this
clab and OF the reception you have
so generously accorded me. L find
that am seldom, tempted to say any
thing nowadays unless somebody
starts sop0thing and tonight nobody
has started anything. -
"Your talk. Mr.. Toastmaster, has
been a great deal about candidacy TOR
the presidency. It. Is not a new feel
ing on my part, hut one which EN-:
tertain, with q greater intensity than
formerly, that man who seeks the
presidency of the United States for
anything that it;will bring,to INN is
an audacious fool. The responsibili-
ties OF the Office ought to sober q man
even before ne approaches It. One
of the difficulties Of the office, seldom
appreciated. I dare say, is that it is
very difficult to think while so many
people are talking, and particularly
while so many people are talking In
way that, obscures counsel, and is
entirely of the point.
The point in national affairs, gem
tlemen. never lies along the; lines Of
cxpediency.tI It always rests in the field
Of principle. The United States was
not founded upon any principle of ex-
pediency It was founded upon a pro-
found principle Of human liberty and
OF humanity and whenever 1t bases it's
policy upon any other foundations
than those it builds on the sand and
not upon solid rock. It seems to
me that the most enlightening things
man can do Is suggested by some
thing which the vice president said to-
night He complained that he found
persons who. when their attention was
called to the. signs of spring, did not
see the blue heaven. did not see the
movement Of free clouds. did not
think of the great spaces Of the
quiet continent. but thought only Of
some immediate and pressing piece
Of business! 1t seems to me that If
YOU do not think OF the things that lie
beyond and away from and discon-
| nected from this scene in which we
attempt to think and conclude YOU
Will inevitably be led astray. l would
much rather know what they are
talking about around quiet firesides
all over the country than what they
are talkingNabOut in the cloak rooms
or congress. / would great deal
rather know what the men OH the
trains and by the wayside and in the
shops and on the farms are thinking
about and yearning for than hear any
OIL the Vociferous prcclamations OF
policy which 1t is SO easy 10 hear and
SO easy to read by picking up any
scraps of printed paper. There is
only one way to hear these things and
'hat constantly to go back to the
fountains of American action,
Senator Harding was saying Just
now that we ought to try when we