The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-07-13
"AMER|CA SHOULD
SET PACE SAYS
PRESIDENT WILSON
Praises This country's Ideals
Before Hundreds Who A.
tend Citizenship Convention.
PEOPLE HAVE BIG DUTY
Mrs. wilson. Miss Bones and
Dr.. Cary T. Grayson Hear
Address at Normal School.

America should be the finest example
Of the objects and ideals that TO to
promote standards Of the world. This
was the duty President Wilson today
laid down for the people Of the United
States in their attitude toward the citi-
Gems Of other countries who come to
America to make their homes.
Addressing several hundred people who
sweltered In the heat at the citizenship
convention. held In the Wilson Normal
School today, the President said
America Is intended to be q spirit
among the nations OF the world. You
should find TIE best ,. way to introduce to
The President said ut isn't fair to the
multitude Of men and women OF other
enable them to find out what. America
10 like and what she stands for.
These people should be educated in
Gated in. That furnished by the life Of
the community to which we belong.
Stirred By Statue.
II don't doubt that many . simple
soul has been stirred by the Statue
Of Liberty. which represents the
ideals Of men. Thinking on this has
caused me to turn on myself the
light Of Investigation to see IL there
burned there the true fire Of Ameri-
CO, as those coming expect to find IL.
"America Is intended to be a spirit
among nations Of the world. You
should find the best way to intro
"I've never been among those who
felt comfort In the superiority of
America over other countries. The
way to dispel that is to travel In
~ sntr ri I'D And h
much Of nobility and good there IL
among the people of those countries.
America should be the finest ex-
ample-not the only example-of the
standards of the world.
IF we are genuine Americans,
those coming over here cannot avoid
Hea inf es sas,c we ana ust oarsy the
when you ask a man to become
loyal to this Government when he
comes to America, he thinks he must
n ioye our id rev we want him sn to g.
loyal to our objects and ideals.
Purpose of Law.
1.-THE idea Of America Is not so much
that law should he created for The pur'
poses Of punishment ms for the purpose
Of instructing and guiding the people
~ to the objects Of America. That ID
why 10 many hopeful reforms come to
grief. No law can work unless Is ex'
presses the sympathy of the community
II only the minority favors 1t 1t will
not work.
Zone object of our laws is to have
on the statute books q written record
of the experience of the State orsani'
xation as to what Is necessary to con-
troll the elements Of our nation. We
to attain the objects IL justice. liberty
and equality for which this nation was
"America is Just as human as any
other nation; there are just as many self
fish people among US; and Just as many
cruel and heartless ones. but our OBJ
1eet is to get these people In harness
toyment Of liberty and Justice.
Most Powerful Nation.
America has become one Of the mos
powerful nations In the world In a ma
the most formidable in the way o.
force, bur America has no other idea
save the perpetuation Of its ideals. i
has no selfish interest to serve.
Incompatible Attitude.
1--WE have been disturbed recently b,
csrun symptoms. Certain men. ard
haze never believed them to be Of Rrea
number. who. born In other lands. hav'
thought more Of those lands In recent
months than Of their own Government
They have gone so far as to draw
apart in spirit and In organization TO
the purpose Of attaining SOME object o.
their own, But ] want to say that sucl
an attitude Is incompatible with thu
fundamental idea OF loyalty.
Loyalty Is not a elf-pleasing virtue
Men must be loyal because they Nv
under our laws. They must rende
self-sacrifice. They must be ready !:
sacrifice every interest and even lif'
itself II the country calls on them
That Is the kind of loyalty that yo'
must inculcate into the immigrants.
THE life OF every one OF US should b.
a part Of the schooling which we Civ
the immigrants. We can't preach 10y
atty unless we set the example ant
practice what we preach. We SHOULD
do this through the process OF rededica
ton. ----,
ideals than anything else. 1t Is easy 4
lose ones temper. but often hard to con
troll 1t. 1t is easy to strike and oftel
hard to refrain. But we should b
proud to do things that are hard to dc
1t IL not always that we settle thing
quickly by taking the quickest way
Americashould stand for this: The SOW
ereignty Of thought, sympathy and Wis
lon. above the ordinary impulses
Mrs. Wilson. Miss Helen woodro,
Bones, and DR.. Cary c. Grayson wer
with the President,