Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-06-03
PRESIDENT TALKS
TO NAVAL CADETS
Chief Executive Presents Diplomas
and Tells New Officers That
Highest Standard Necessary.
sEC'Y DANIELS ALSO SPEAKS

sEC'Y DANIELS ALSO SPEAKS
Annapolis, Md, June 2-President
Wilson Unexpectedly made an ad.
dress to the naval academy gradu-
ates at the commencement exercises
here today declaring that great re-
sponsibilities rest on naval officers
Of the United States. He had not
planned to speak, but he said he felt
a particular interest in this years
class because il saw him get into
trouble" at his Inauguration three
years ago
The president declared that he
gained liberal education in the
White House. He said that discipline
in the academy must be sIric., be-
cause you are more than college
boys; you are officers OF the United
States" and any laxity OF duty cam
not be overlooked. There must come
time, he added, when a laxity in
duty might change the worlds his
tory.
Address OF the President
1T had not been my purpose when
came here to say anything today.
but as ! sit here and look at you
youngsters, | find that my feeling is
very personal feeling indeed
Il have thought that there is one in
teresting bond that united us. You
we're at Washington three years ago
and saw me get into trouble. And
now, ! am here to see the beginning
of your troubles Your trouble viii
last longer than minr, but / do Ibt if
Il will be any more interesting
have had a liberal education in the
last three years with which nothing
that | underwent before bears the
slightest comparison. But what want
TO say to you, you young gentlemen,
IS: can illustrate it in this way.
Once in while when youngsters here
or at West Point have forgotten
themselves and have done something
that they ought not to do and were
about to be disciplined, perhaps Sc
yerely for IT, ! have been appealed to
by their friends TO excuse them from
the penalty. Knowing that | have
spent most of my life at college,
they commonly say to me You know
college boys. You know what they
are. They are needless youngsters
very often and they ought not to be
held up 10 the same standards OF re-
sponslbility that older men must sub
NIT to-
And | have always replied yes,
know college boys, but while these
youngsters are college boys, they are
something more. They are Officers OF
the United States.
Must Preserve High Standards.
DO you not see the difference?
You cannot indulge yourselves in
weaknesses, gentlemen. You cannot
forget your duty for moment, be-
cause there might come time when
that weak spot in you should affect
you in the midst OF a great engage
ment and then the whole history of
the world might be changed by what
you did not do, or did wrong. So
then the personal feeling | have for
you Is this: We are all bound to-
gether, ] for the Hue being, and you
permanently under a special obliga- |
ton, the most solemn that the mind |
can conceive. The fortunes OF a ma
ton are confided to us Now that
ought not to depress man. Some
times ! think that nothing is worth
while that is not hard. You do not
improve your muscle by doing the
easy things; you improve It by doing
a thing that is difficult, not a thing
that is easy, | would a great deal
rather, so far as my sense of enjoy
ment Is concerned, have something
strenuous to do, than have some
thing than can be done leisurely and
a stimulation Of the facul-.
lies. Therefore | congratulate you
that you are going to live your lives
under the most stimulating compul-
sion that any man can feel, the
sense, not of private duty merely, Il
out OF public duty also.
Il want you to know, gentlemen, if
I is any satisfaction TO you, that
hall personally follow your careers in
he days that are ahead of you with
cal personal interest. wish you god
peed and remind you that yours is
he honor OF the United States"
Prior TO the presidents address and
he presentation OF their diplomas the
graduates were addressed by Secre-
ary OF the Navy Daniels.
The president personally gave each
L the l78 graduates his diploma and
hook hands with them. extending
warm congratulations lie particularly
raised the ten ranking members Of
he class
The president and Mrs Wilson wit
essed the celebration OF the lower
lassmeu with interest He laughed |
5 they ran from the hall aud marched
ingiug and yelling about the grounds
After the graduation ceremonies
ere over the president accompanied .
\ Mrs Wilson, went Tor q short .
automobile ride lie lunched with So. /.
bherlc and later ~ the
lternoon will return le Washington. I
taxing lhe trip hy automobile
Secretary Daniels Address
secretary Daniels IN his address !
eleamsd the graduating class 81 che
avail academy into actual service
itb Az address CpHuselins a steady
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tx and Studies begun 81 Annapolis
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