Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-05-21
PRESIDENT WILSON
TALKS WORLD PEACE
Makes Guarded Reference to
European Situation in Pres
ence of Vast Thr0ng.
SEES LITTLE PROGRESS
TOWARD ENDING BIG WAR
Addresses a Crowd of 100000 Peo-
pie at the Mecklenburg Celebra-
ton in Charlotte, N. c.

CHARLOTTE. " c.. May 20.-Presi-
dent Wilson. speaking on world peace
before a crowd OF 100000 people here
today. declared that lit is an interest
ing circumstance that the processes of
the war stand stilr' and that these
hot things that are in contact with
one another do not make much progress
against one another" He added that
when you cannot overcome you must
take counsel
The President plainly spoke guard
edly when mentioning peace in Europe.
but most of his hearers saw plain
suggestion in his words. He intimated
that not much progress was being
made. and that the objects being
by the European nations could
be achieved better through peaceful
means.
The Presidents words on peace were
given Significance by his hearers, IN
view of the recent discussion OF the
of ending the European war.
tried to set the example of bringing
all the world together upon terms OF
liberty (and peace) and in that great
that we have been going
through America has been a sort or
prophetic sample of mankind
"I would like" declared the Presi J.
dent, ito think that the spirit of this
occasion could be expressed If we
ina agined ourselves lifting some sacred
emblem of counsel and Of peace. of ac-
-:rl,x i,,Io ,or,f
before the nations Of the world and
reminded them of that passage in
Scripture: After the wind. after the
after the fire. the still
small voice of humanity.
Hints at What Will Follow War.
The President sketched briefly his
idea of what will follow the European
war, which, it is understood, he will
elaborate more at length in an address
he will deliver next week in Wash
ington before the League to Enforce
Peace, of which former President Taft
is president He said that what you
see taking place on the other side OF
about said final-process by which a
contents of elemtnts may in Gods proc
ess be turned into a coordination and
of elements"
Need of. Untainted Americanism.
The President also spoke of the need
of .'untainted Americapism," and de-
clared that the European war is a
competition of national standards. of
national traditions and of national pol
systems. Europe has
erappled in war; he said. ''as we have
grappled in peace to see what IS going
to be done with these things when they
come into hot contact with one an
other
Charlotte was ablaze with American
flags and packed with people for the
first occasion on which democratic
President has spoken here. Military
bands were scattered through the town
and played martial music constantly
and the people cheered from every
housetop and window along the route
taken by him in his rides about the
city. He was introduced at the open
air meeting by Gov. Craig of North
Carolina.
Presidents Address.
The Presidents speech follows:
1T is with unaffected pleasure that
/ find myself in the presence of this
company today. for 1 have
come back for a visit all too brief to a
region very familiar to my heart. and
the greeting of whose people is pecu-
liarly welcome to me.
II do not know, my fellow citizens,
whether 1 can interpret for you today
the spirit of this occasion, but it is
necessary when we get together in
like this to take counsel
together with regard to just what it
is that we wish to celebrate. You
will say we wish to celebrate the mem
ories of that time to which we look
back with such pride, when our
and stoutness Of heart. under
took to set up an Independent nation
on this side of the water; but 1t is
very much more important that We
should remind ourselves of the ele-
ments with which our forefathers
dealt
There were only 100000 citizens
in that original republic of the United
States of America. Now there are
90, 600. 900. 1t is a long cry back to
those modest beginnings; a great
period of time. not only, but a great
us from that time, and yet | would re-
mind YOU that the same elements were
present then that are present now.
What interests my thought more than
anything else about the Enited States is
that it has always been in process of
being made ever since that little begin
ming and that there have always been
the same elements in the process. At the
outset there was at the heart of the men
who led the movement for Independence
a very high and handsome passion for
human liberty and free institutions.
And yet there lay before them a great
continent which it was pecessary to sub
due to the uses of civilization if they
were going to build upon 1t great state
among the family of nations. l heard a
preacher once point out the very inter
ssting circumstance that our Lords
prayer begins with the petition for Our
iaiiy bread from which he drew the
inference that it is very difficult to wor-
ship God on an empty stomach. and that
he material foundations Of our life are
he first foundations.
What | want to call your attention to
S that this country ever since that time
las devoted practically all of its atten-
ion perhaps too much Of its attention.
o the material foundation of its life; to
,ubduing this continent to the uses of the
nation and to the building up of a great
BODY of wealth and material power III
ind some men who, when they think of
America, do not think of anything else
mt that. But. my friends. there have
been other nations just as rich and Just
IS powerful in comparison with the other
,ations Of the world as the United
states is and it is a great deal more inn
,ortant that we should determine what
We are going to do with our power than
hat we should possess it.
Various Elements Confronted.