The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1916-07-01

it plain in his speech at the New York
Press Club dinner last night that he
will not countenance war with Mexico
until there is no other alternative for
settling the border troubles.
He declared again that he was read,
to sacrifice his own political fortunes
in order to carry out his convictions
as to what would be the just course
to pursue in the situation.
The Presidents audience, composed
of newspaper men, state and munich
pal political leaders, and others prom
inent in public life signified their en-
dorsement of his position by repeated
bursts of. applause.
When he asked if the glory of Amer
lea would be enhanced by war OF
conquest in Mexico, shouts of no"
came from all parts of the hall.
A similar response was made to his
query whether it is Americas duty to
carry self-defense to the point of die
tation into the affairs of another peo-
pie"
The President dwelt also on his eff
forts to serve the whole people, thou
sands of whom, he said, are appealing
to him TO maintain peace as long as
possible.
81 have constantly to remind myself
he said, that | am not the servant Of
those who wish to enhance the value of
their Mexican investments but that |
| am the servant of the rank and file
of the People of the United States"
| In his address President Wilson said:
"Of course, it is our duty TO prepare
tlis nation to take care of its honor and
of it's Institutions Why debate any
part of that, except the detail, except
the plan itself which is always debat-
able?
"Of course, it is the duty of the gov
eminent, which it will never overlook,
W uSlcHu TIC ItOI anu PCOP4N ~
this country. 1t goes without saying
| that il is the duty of the administra-
ton to have constantly in mind with
the utmost sensitiveness every point of
national honor.
But, gentlemen, after you have said
and accepted these obvious things, your
program of action is still to be formed.
When will you act, and how will you
act?
1.-The easiest thing is to strike. The
brutal thing is the impulsive thing. No
man has to think before he takes ag-
lgressive action, but before man really
|conserves the honor by realizing the
ideals Of the nation, he has TO think
exactly what he will do and how he will
do it.
DO you think the glory of America
would be enhanced by war of con-
quest in Mexico?
do you think that any act of vio-
lence by a powerful nation like this
against a weak and destructive neigh
Dor would reflect distinction upon the
annals of the United States?
Asks Limit of Self Defense.
do you think that it is our duty tol
carry self defense to a point of dicta-
tion into the affairs of another people?
The ideals of America are written plain
upon every page of American history.
"And | want you to know how fully |
| realize whose servant | am. do not /
own the government of the United
States even for the time being. | have
no right in the use of it to express my
own passions. I have no right to eX-
press my own ambitions for the devei-
opment of America if those ambitions
are not coincident with the ambitions
of the nation itself.
And have constantly to remind my
self that ! am not the servant Oh
those who wish to enhance the value
of their Mexican investments, that
am the servant of the rank and file
of the people of the United States.
81 get a great many letters, my EEL
low citizens, from important and influ-
entail men in this country. but | get
great many other letters. ! get letters
from unknown men, from humble wo-
men. from people whose names have
never been heard and never will be
recorded, and there is but one prayer
in all of these letters: Mr.. President
do not allow anybody to persuade you
that the people of this country want
war with anybody
81 got off a train yesterday and as
I was bidding goodbye to the engineer
he said in an undertone, Mr., President,
keen out of Mexico And if one man
has said that to me, thousand nave
said it to me, as | have moved about
the country.
Wilson Quotes Napoleon.
IF I have opportunity to engage
them further in conversation. they say.
OF course, we know that you cannot