The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-02
TEXT or WILSON'S
SPEECH AT DES MONIES
Asserts vigorously That Ne Will
Defend 4. =. Riyhts.

Asserts vigorously That Ne Will
Defend 4. =. Rights.
DEs MorNEs, Feb. 1.-The Presidents
| specci here tonight follows:
mfr. Chairman, your Excellency. and
fellow citizens:
II I'M greatly checrcd. as we'll AS
| greatly honored. by the sight or this
, great audience. AVE been very much
| Impressed by being told that you have
been waiting here patiently FOR more
than two hours for the exercises OF tho
evening, and I think I know. j hope l
know. what that means.
at is not only that in your gracious
courtesy you have waited to greet tho
| President Of the United States. but that
| knowing the errand upon which he has
| come you are profoundly Interested, az
he ", In the candid discussion or some
| of the chief things which concern the
| welfare and tho safety OF the nation.
Some one who does not know our TEL
low citizens quite AS well As he ought 10
know them. told me that there was "a
certain degree OF Indifference ami
l.tharxy In the middle West Will regard
TO the defence of the Ation said. i
do not believe IL. but I am going out TO
see.' and ! have seen.
Great Interest Seen.
81 have seen what 7 expected TO see
great bodies OF serious ,nen. great bodies
Of earnest women coming together 10
show their profound interest In the OBJ
jecis OF this visit of mine. And I know
therefore,. that II IL my privilege w
address those who will realize the spirit
OF responsibility In which ! SPEAK 10
them.
MY follow citizens. it would hc easy
II permitted myself to do 80 to draw u
picture of the present situation of the
world which would deeply stir your feel
iugs and perhaps deeply excite your ap-
p~rrhenslon, but you would not fhinR ina
IL was right for YOU Chief Magistrate
10 speak any word of excitement what
ever.
81 want YOU 20 believe that In "ha'
I saw 10 you [ am endeavoring as Far
AS extempOraneous speech Will per
init. TO weigh every word that ! say,
I said A moment Z that you know the
GRAND mon which I have come TO You
but do YOU know the reasons why ] nave
undertaken that errand?
"There arr some very conclusive an.
imperative reasons. Some ct our fel!o"
citizens are seeking to dark"n course
u,ou this great matter not, ] nope 'i'
believe. out of mistaken motives hut Ger
taiuly believe ont pl ni's'aN'H ''''"i'
,inns Of the duty and interest OF Amer
lea.
Trying to stir
ION the one hand there is a consider
able body OF men who are trying TO s'i'
IN. very sort Of excitement IN INN
country uron which every true, well bal
anc.d American uuxnt to fro"n'
..There are actually men In Americ'
vho are preaching war who are preach
,uy the duty OF the United States t'
do what IL never would before seek
antsrglement In the controversies whlci
have arisen on the other side or IN
water, abandon its habitual n tradl
,lonal policy and deliberately engage II
the conflict which u u ensulnhs IN
rest OF the world. u,
Il do not kno what the standard
oY citizenship OF these gentlemen ma
he. I only know that ! for one canno
subscribe to those standards. | believe
that | more truly speak the spirit q
America when I say that that spirit !
"A splrit of peace. Why. no voice IA
ever come To any public man more aud
lb,y. more Enthusiastically, thai IN" Noi''
~; his great people has come 10 me
bearing this impressive lesson. we ar
counting upon you TO keep this countr!
out OF war
Hard to Avoid war.
"And I call YOU TO witness. my fellow
,ountrymen, that | have spent ever,
Thought and energy that has been voich
safed Inc In order TO keep this country
out OF war. 1t cannot be disclosed now
perhaps II can never be disclosed. how
anxious and difficult that a has been
but my heart has been In Il. ! have no
g-udged a single burden hat has heel
,.stsl ttAt .Sl Ia. allan
for ! knew that not only my own heart
but the heart OF all America, was in tn
cause o. peace.
"And yet, my fellow citizens, Their
are some men nong US preachin,
peace who go much further than I ca'
60. Not further thar 7 can go In III,
sentiment OF peace not further tina,
truth warrants them In going In inter
preting the desire IA sentiment o
America, hut further than ] can follow
them further. ! believe. than you cal
follow their in preaching the doctrine o
peace at any price IN any cinum
stances.
'There IL n price which Is too grea
TO pay for peace. and that price can b
put In one word. One cannot pay tn
price OF self-respect. One carnot pa,
the price OF duties abdicated, OF gloriou
opportunities neglected., OF character. ma
tional character. vindlcated and exempt
fed In action.
America has n character as d!stlnc
40 tho character of any individual
among us. We read that characte
, IN every page OF her singular and glo
I riou. history. W" believe that tina
character IL written IN invisible sign
which, nevertheless, our spirits can lie
! cipher upon the very folds Of the Ma
which Is the emblem of our nationa
life,
THE gentlemen who are out and ON
pacifsts are making ono Fundamental
mistake. That r. not IA mistake abou
, the sentiments OF America. but a mis-
take about the circumstances OF IN
world, America does not constitute IN
world. In many Of her sentiments IN,
predictions she does not represent q
influence tho world.
1.-THE dangers to our peace do not com
any longer from Within our own border
! ! could not have said thatji few month
D ago. Passion was astir IN This cour
! try. There was IA clash OF sympathi'
and heat OF passion which made our "A
> tense and made men hold their breat
! for fear some OF our fellow countrymc
= y,,,,ll fnruot that THAR frat LOYALTY IVA