Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-02-03
BELIEVES COUNTRY IS LOYAL
Trusts That the People Do
Not Care to Be in a Situation
in Which the President Can
Do Nothing but Write Notes
and Protests.

Wilson. in addressing the largest audi
ence or his present trip, in which he is
advocating preparedness, here tonight
asked this question:
DO you want the situation to he such
that all the President can do is to write
messages and utter words of protest."
why to ask that question is TO an
swer it," he said Whenever interna-
tonal law is violated by one or the
other bellgerents.' the President sad.
america was called on to register a
voice of protest, of insistence'
do you want the situation to be such
that all the President can do is to write
messages and utter words Of protest?
If these breaches of International law,
which are in daily danger of occurring, /
should touch the very honor Of the
| United States. do you wish to do moth /
ing about it? DO YOU wish to have all
, the world say that the flag of the United
| States can be stained with impunity? |
Why to ask the question is to answer it,
II know there is not man or woman i
within the hearing of my voice who !
! wish peace at the expense of the honor (
Of the United States"
| The Presidents address was punctuat- |
ed with thunderous applause He spoke
lures to enforce his words. His declar- /
atiun that the United states wished
peace drew a quick response and his
assertion that the sclf-respect Of the ma
ton must he preserved elected another
great demonstration.
| The President declared he was trying
to weigh carefully every word he said.
He reiterated that he had been daily
charged to keep the country out of war
and also to uphold its honor.
and many night when it has seemed
Impossible for me to sleep" he said,
because of the apparently inextricaole
difficulties into which our international
relations were drifting, | have said TO
myself, 4 wonder if the people Of the
United States fully know what that
mandate means to mo And then sleen
has come: because | knew that there
was not Il community in America that
would not stand behind me in maintain
ing the honor of the United States.
THE difficulty of keeping America at
peace during this titanic struggle across
the sea cannot he disclosed now per
hans il never can he disclosed. How
anxious and how difficult this task has
been, But my heart has been in it,
| have not grudgcd a single burden that
, in view For | know that not only my
own heart. but the heart Of all America
was in the cause of peace.
Thee arc actually men in America who
are preaching war tn" President de
, clarod: men who want the United states
, to have cntanglng alliances abroad. lie
said he did not think they spoke the
voice Of America, whicn he declared To
: he for peace. We added that others 60
further than he in advocating peace.
"Thcv preach the doctrine of peace at
any price, Nc added. while men in the
audience cried never! never lie said
these men did not know the circumstances
Of tho world.
"Amcrica cannot be on ostrich With its
head i'm the sand" he said
The President declared h. hoped if this
, war had no other result it would create
p an international tribunal to settle au"s-
g lions which cause war. His declaration
| that nc had found the people of the
. Middle West for prepare dncHs drew long
applause.
= Some ono who docs not know our fc'-
4 low citizens as vel! as lie ought l" know
. them. told me there was certain d'sree
= Of Indifference ana lctharSr IN ~" lHiihN
h Nest with regard to the d"fcrSe "t the
@ nation" he declared. said did no' be
r lieve il. hut was going ont 80 sec. hay"
- seen what expected 10 see great bodies
d of serious mon and women coming to-
q gcthcr to show thclr interests III thc "o'
icct of my visit.
= The President closed with tribute to
. the American fiac
4 "As look at that ii1e,' he aid, II
seem 20 see many characters uron ii
| which arc not visible to IN" physical! "yc
= There seem To- move ghoStiy visions Of
devoted mon who. looking tn that flax,
Thought only Of liberty, of tho rights of
mankind. of the mission of America to
show .hc way to tho world for the
realization Of those rights. And every
grave Of ovcrN bravo man in the COIN
= try would seem tu have upon ii the co,ors
! If the flag, il he were truc American
= would fccn to have on It that stain Of
. | rod. which means The true pulse Of
II blood: tina: patch Of pure white which
g means the peace of the soul. And then
there seems to rise over the graves of
= those men and to hallow their memories
that blue space OF the sky I'm which swim,
4 those stars which cNcmplfv for us the
r glorious galaxy OF thu States Of the
n Union, which stand together 10 vndicGte
the rights of mankind"
Davenport. Iowa, Eco, l.-lrcsdcnt
e Wilson in his address here said:
Z ~ have Yet 10 discover any such intu-
@ ence gentlemen and am proposing to the
q Congress of the United States as / be-
levc YOU know, that the government itself
: should take sufficient steps to control the
Z manufacture of armament for our ships
!. ana munitions for our men who go into
y the field; absolutely to control the price