Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-30
PRESIDENT SHOWS PITTSBURGH
PEOPLE TEST OF PREPAREDNESS
Says 1t Lies With American Young Men in
Answering Call for Volunteers and
Their Employers in Making the
Way Easy for Them.

PITTSBURGH. Pa. January ~
President Wilson. opening his siN-daS
speaking tour here today, told 4'eoo
people at Memorial Hall that the test
of national preparedness lay not WIN
Congress but with the young men Oh
the country in their answer TO the can
to volunteer. and with their employ
ers. who should oppose no obstacle 10
free response. He added that ne oe-
lieved both the young men and their
EMPLOYERS would do their duty
Il am not afraid that America VIII
not do enough" he said. by way OF
parenthesis at one point in his speech
II am only earnestly DESTROYS that she
should he very coolly considerable or
what she does one cool judgment is
worth a thousand hasty counsels
By way of preface to his speech the
President declared he was conscious OF
beiny a truant from Washington. out
he felt il his duty to report to the peo-
nile on the affairs of the nation. he
added that he got more inspiration
outside of Washington than he got III
side it, Afterward I've addressed an
overflow meeting.
Speech of the President.
Tie Presidents speech was as fol-
lows
am conscious of a sort of truaucy
Tn heinr absent from my duties in
Washington. and yet il did seem to me
To be clearly the obi cation laid Upon
M. ,,. tho office to which | have been
chosen that. as'your servant ana repre-
sentative. should come and report To
YOU upon the progress OF pupiic Sitd!ie
II has always been teeilnS OF mint
that the hest place for public servants
was in the presence of those inc!
serve and that it was the obvious
duty of every public man TO no,G ar""N
counsel with the people themselves.
/ must frankly admit. with apoloe,ss
10 the chairman of tine meeting anu ms
associates. that ] get great otai more
inspiration outside Of Westminster thah
inside of it, Not because others are
not as devoted as | am to the perform
ances of their duties. but because you
the people of the United states hNe
outside of Washington. Ana the SUP
ject upon which | have come to ad-
dress YOU is one upon which frank
counsel is particularly needed
You know that there is a multitude
of voices upon the question OIL hdt,oHa'
defense and !. for my part, am not ~
clined to critcise any of the views
that have been put forth upon TINS I'M
portant subject. but If there is one
thing love more llidii "i'Ni't ~ 49,
United States. it is that every man
should have the privilege. uumolested
and uncritiCised. To utter the reaI con-
victions of his mind. some OF the
things that are being sara proceed
from sentiment and ! would be the
last TO detract from genuine sentiment.
] feel myself moved by some OF the senti.
ments with the conclusions OF Which l
cannot agree, just as the gentlemen
arc moved themselves who utter them.
i believe in peace: | love peace: would
not he Il true American if did not love
peace
Passion Must Be Eliminated.
Ru, know that peace costs some
thing. and that the only way in which
you can maintain peace is by thorough
~ enjoying the respect of everybody
with whom you deal, and while there
fore I can subscribe to every desire
which those fine people have who are
counseling US against assuming arms
in this country ! must ask them 10
think n second time about the cir
cumstances under which we are living.
There are other counselors the source
of whose counsel is passion. And Win
them | cannot agree. 1t is not wise,
ii is not possible. to guide national
policy under the impulse of passion.
would be ashamed Of the passion OF
fear and | would try to put the pas
sion of aggression entirely ASIDE IN
advising my fellow -citiZens what they
should do at any great crisis OF their
national life. America does not desire
anything that any other nation can
give il except friendship and justice
and right conduct.
am sorry for my past 10 see any
passion. whether of fear or dislike,
stir the counsels of America. j have
counseled my fellow citizens not only
to be neutral in the presence of the
present great European struggle in
action, but also to be neutral in spirit
and in feeling. And ! have tried for
my own part TO hold off from every
passion.
know il is not easy when the world
IS running red with blood. il is hard to
Keep the. judgment cool When men are
suffering and Offering up heroic sacrifices
II is hard not to let the passion of sym
PATTY tax" precedence over the GOODNESS
Of judgment. but while l can understand
the excitement of the mind which these
circumstances have generated, / would not
like Them TO guide the decisions of the
government. / am glad that the soldiers
and 80 Tors OF the United States have
profess.U enthusiasm. but | would not
like then - run away with me any more
Than I would like the passions and senti-
'nent OF my fellow-countrymen TO run
away wit. Will" admire their
duties "" must square their Judgment
with other standards than the professional
standards
What Is to Be Defended.
j admire every mans professional duty
but would not Ike to be guided by
every mans professional duty 1t is time,
therefore, that we attempted at any rate
TO apply the standards of our own stu
alton and of our own life TO this great
question of national defense.
What is it that we wand to defend?
DO not think have TO answer that ques-
Gon FOR you. 1t is in your own thought
We want to defend the life of this nation
against any sort Of Interference.
We want to maintain the equal right
or this nation against the actions
OF all other nations. and we wish TO
maintain the peace and unity of the
western hemisphere. Those are things
10 defend and in their d-fens.. some
times our thought must take a great
sweep even beyond our own borders
Did you ever stop to reflect just wha:
1t Is that America stands for IL she
stands Tor one thing more than another
IT is FOR the sovereignty of self-gov-
erning people. and her example, her
assistance. her encouragement, has
thrilled two continents in this western
world with all those fine impulses
which have built UP human liberty on
both sides of the water. She stands
therefore. as an example of indie
nendanre NIL. 49, va. 60.