The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-14

- ''s hhS eou SSts AAA "tASO'
heart. our pride has a new distinction.
not the distinction OF the mere imperial
power OF "A great empire. not the dis
tinction Of being masters OF the world.
but the distinction of carrying certain
lights for the world that the world has
never so distinctly seen before. certain
guiding lights OF liberty and principle
and justice.
h Unassimilatcd Alien.
I'VE have drawn our people, as you
know. from all parts OF the world. and
We have been somewhat disturbed re-
Gently, gentlemen. because some OF those.
though I believe a YER, small number,
whom We have drawn into our citizen
ship have not taken into their hearts
the spirit Of America. and have loveu
other countries more than they loved the
country OF their adoption, and We have
talked a great deal about Amcricanism
j. ouGht 10 he a matter of pride with Us
To know what Amcricanism really con-
sists Of. Americsuism consists in Ut
terly believing in the principles OF
America. and putting them first as above
anything that miGht by chan>a come into
competition with it. And I for my part
believe :ha: tho American ties: Is n
spiritual test. IL a man has to make ex-
cuses FOR what he has done as an Amer
lean | dopht his .Ainericanism. He ought
10 know at every step OF his action that
the motive tina, lies behind what he does
Is a motive which no American need be
ashamed Of for a momen
Now. We ought to put this test TO
every man We know. We ought to let
Il he known that nobody who does not
nut America first can coHsort with u..
We ought to SET theru the example. We
ought to set them the example by think
ing American thoughts. by entertaining
American purposes and those thoughts
and purposes will stand the test OF cN-
ample anywhere in the world. for they
are intended for the betterment Of man
kind. SO | have come to say these few
words to you to-day, gentlemen. for a
double purpose first Of all to express
my personal good wishes to you In your
graduation. and my personal interest in
YOU, and second OF all to remind you
how we must all stand together In one
spirit as lovers and servants OF America
And that means something moro than
lovers and servants merely of the United
States.
Meaning Of Monroe Doctrine.
"You have heard OF the Monroe Doc
trinc. gentlemen. You know that we are
already spiritual partners with both
continents Of this hemisphere. and that
America means something which Is big
ger even than the United States. and
that we stand here with the glorious
power Of this country ready to swing II
out into the field OF action whenever
liberty and Independence and political
integrity are threatened anywhere In the
western hemisphere. And we are ready.
Nobody has authorized me to say this
but | am sure of 1t. We are ready "a
joir with the other nation Of the world
in seeing that the kind - Justice pre-.
walls anywhere that we believe in. Sc
that YOU are graduating to-day, gentle
men, into a new distinction. Glory at
taches to all those men whose names We
love to recount who have mad the an
nails If the American army distin
guished. They played the part they
were called upon to play with honor
and with extraordinary character anC
nuccess.
81 am congratulating YOU not because
YOU will be better than they. hut because
YOU have a wider world OF thought and
conception to play your part In. | am an
american. hut ! do not believe that any
of us loves a clustering nationality. n
nationality with n chip on its shoulder, q
nationality with its elbows out, and with
IT'S swaggcr on. We love that quiet, self
respecting. unconquerable spirit which
docs not strike until it Is necessary tc
strike. and then strikes to conquer.
Never since ] was a youngster hav,
I been afraid of the noisy man. hav,
always been afraid of the still man.
have. always been afraid OF the uuie
man. had "A Classmate at college VIII,
WAS most dangerous when he was mos
affable. when he was maddest he SEINE,
To have the sweetest temper in the world
He would approach you with a mos
jngratiating smile, and then you knew
that every red corpuscle in his blood wa
up and shouting. II you work things Of
in yOur elbows, YOU do not work then
off in your minds. you do not work then
, off in your purposes. So my conception
of America Is a conception of intnit
dignity. along with quiet. unquestion
able power. ! ask you young gentlemen
to Join with me in that conception. AN,
, let us all In our several spheres he sol
diers together to realize it
The Weather ideal.
There may have been in years lonl
past days as perfect for the West Poin
graduation exercises as to-day. but Their
/ has never been n finer, The sun smiled
broadly upon the colorful panorami
, spread over the carefully kept grounds
and a smooth. steady wind from tn
= Hudson River below tempered the warm
! ing rays.
? Tn" visitors were not especially nu
: merous for such a day, hut those VIII
, were there were carefully selected,
seemed, and the prime requisite for IN
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