Omaha daily bee., 1916-02-03

while this great contest continues in
Europe. need not tell you what my at
titudo toward that contest Is. I have
tried 10 live up TO the counsel which
have given my fellow citizens, not only
to be neutral in action. but also to be
neutral in the genuine attitude OF my
thought and mind.
America Is composite nation. You
do not realize Il quite so much in Kan
sas as II is realized In some other parts
Of the union. So overwhelming a portion
OF your population is native born that
you naturally feel your first conscious
ness TO he Of America and things Amer
lean. but imagine those communities
and they are many-which contain very
large bodies OF men whose birthplace,
whose memories, whose family connec-
lions are on the other side Of tho sea, in
places now swept by the flames of war:
men for whom every mail brings news
OF some disaster that II may be has
touched those whom they love or has
swept the face OF some countryside which
they remember in association with the
days OF their youth Their intimate sym
tathIes are with some Of the places now
most HAltNNtu ny AhAc AANahN
You cannot wonder. do not wonder, that
their affections are stirred and old
memories awakened and old passions re-
kindled.
Most Good Americans.
The majority OF them are steadfast
Americans, nevertheless. For. look what
happened to them. my fellow citizens.
You and were born In America; they
choose to be Americans. They deliber-
ately came to America, beckoned hither
by some of the fairest promises and pros
poets ever offered TO mankind. They we're
told that this was a land OF liberty and
Of opportunity, as It Is. They were told
that this was a land in which they could
throw off some Of the restraint anil tram
mels under which they had chafed in the
older countries. They were told that this
was the place for the feet Of young men
who had ambition and who wished un-
trammeled hope to be their only leader
and OF their own free and deliberate
choice they crossed the waters and Joined
their destinies with us and the vast ma
jority of them have the passion OF Amer
lean liberty in their hearts, just as much
as you and 1 have. do not want any
American to misunderstood the real sit
uation. and l believe that TO be the real
situation.
Some men OF foreign birth have tried
to stir up trouble in America, but, gen.
tlemen. some men of American birth have
tried to stir up trouble, too. IL you were
to listen to the councils that are dinned
into my ears in the executive office In
Washington you would find that some OF
the most Incorporate of them came from
the lips OF men who had for generations
together been identified with America. bu
who for the time Icing are SO carried
away by the sweep of their sympathies
that they have ceased to think in the
terms OF American tradition and Ameri
can policy.
Expresses No Judgment.
II express no judgment concerning any
matter with regard to the conduct Of tho
war. but the heart Of America has blec
because of the condition or the people II
Belgium, and you know how we havs
poured out our sympathy and our wealth
to assist in the relief of suffering In thai
storm-swept land. America looks to al
quarters of the world and sympathsei
with mankind in its sufferings wherever
these sufferings may be displayed or un
dergone
ct was told before came here, and
read in one of your papers this morn
ing that Kansas was not In sympath,
with my policy of preparedness for ma
tional defense do not believe wore
of it. ] long ago learned to distinguish
between editorial opinion and popular
opinion Moreover. having been addicted
to books. 1 happened to have read th'
history of Kansas. and II there Is ans
other place in the world fuller OF flgh
than Kansas would like TO hear OF II
any other place fuller of fight on th'
right lines Kansas is not looking To-
trouble. but Kansas has made troubl,
for everybody that interfered with IL
liberties or It's rights; and II l wer
to pick out one place which was likel!
to vince first. and get hot first sbou
invasion Of the essential principles o
American liberty, ! certainly would looi