Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-03

The text Of President Wilson's speech
at Kansas City last night follows:
You have certainly given me most
royal welcome to Kansas City. and l
esteem it very great privilege to- de-
liver the message which l have come
to deliver to this great throng of in
telligent people. My natural duty to
you. ladies and gentlemen, is in Wash
ington, not here. 1 have certain
scruple of conscience in being away
from Washington for many days at a
time, because it is one of the interest
ing circumstances of the moment that
there is hardly day which does not in
some degree alter the aspect of al
fairs. 1t is important for your sake.
and. I venture to add, for the sake of
the peace OF the world. that those who
represent you in responsible stations
should keep in constant touch with
those changes. You will, therefore,
credit me when ] say that it is only
an extraordinary occasion which draws
me away from duties needing such con-
slant attention.
Il would not have come away from
Washington had ] not believed that
there was stronger compulsion of
toiiotiChNV ~ dCuudiHI you Will tic
state of affairs than there was to re-
main during this week at the place of
guidance. for you will know without
my describing it to you, what the task
assigned me has been. 1t has been the
task of keeping the scales so poised,
from day to day, that no man should
throw into one scale or the other any
make-w eight which would imperil the
peace of the United States. for l have
felt that you were depending upon your
H.
MOL which is disturbing the rest of the
world. You are counting upon me to
do more than keep you out of trouble,
however. You are counting upon me to
see to it that the rights of citizens of
the United States, wherever they might
be, are respected by everybody. You
have counted upon me to see that your
energies should be released along the
channels Of trade in order that you
might serve the world as the only ma
ton disengaged and ready to serve it.
You have expected me to see that the
rest OF the world permitted America
thus to express and exercise her HUI
name and legitimate energy. And I
have come out to ask you what there
was behind me in this task You know
sanction back of it. The judge, as he
sits on his bench, has something back
of him. He has the whole physical
force of the nation back Of him.
The laws reside and sit upon him,
no matter how commonplace his indi-
vidual aspect. with a sort of majesty,
because there is the sovereignty of the
people and of the peoples government
back Of him. And when he utters a
judgment the man against whom it is
uttered knows that he dare not resist
1t. But when l, as your spokesman and
representative, utter judgment with
regard to the rights of the United
states in its relations to other nations
what is the sanction? What is the
compulsion? What lies back of that
of the United States Yes. the force
and majesty of the United Stetes But
Is 1t ready to express itself? b.. S..
IF you resist the judge there are the
bailiffs of the court; If you resist the
bailiffs of the court there are those
If you resist the sheriff there is the
National Guard: if you resist the Ma
tional Guard there is the army of the
United States. But if you ignore in
some foreign capital what the Presi-
dent of the United States urges as the
rights of the people and government
of the United States what is there back
of that?
Word May Cease to Prevail.
1T is necessary. my fellow citizens,
that l should come and ask you this
question, because l do not know how
your government will prevail to main
tain your honor, and the dignity and
power Of the nation.
There may come a tme-I pray God
it may never come-but it may, in spite
of everything we do, come upon us and
come of a sudden, when l shall have to
ask: I have had my say-who stands
oil
which the majesty and right of the
United States are to be maintained and
! take it that there may, in
your own conviction, come a time when
that might and force must be vindi-
Gated and asserted. You are not will
should be ignored.
Il have seen editorials written in
more than one part of the United States
at the number of notes that
were being written from the State De-
partment' to the foreign government
and asking: Why does not the govern
ment act?' and in those same papers l
have seen editorials against the prepa-
ration to do anything whatever effec-
tive IL those notes are not regarded Is
that the temper of the United States?
1t may be the temper of some editorial
office. but 1t is not the temper of the
people of the United States.
Il came out upon this errand from
w washington, and see what happened
Before l started everybody knew what
errand ] was bound on. ! expected to
meet quiet audiences and explain to
them the issues of the day and what did
meet. At every stop of the train
of my fellow citizens crowd
ing out not to see the President of the
United States merely-he is not much
to look at--but to declare their ardent
belief in the majesty of the govern
ment which he stands for and for the
time being he represents, and to de-
clare in one fashion or another, If it
were only by cheers. that they stood
ready to do their duty in the hour of
need.
~ have been thrilled by the expert
ences of these few days. and ! shall go
body who tells me that the United
States is not wideawake. But, gentle
men. crowds at the stations, multitudes
In great audience halls, cheers for the
the display-the ardent
display as from the heart-of the en-
blem of our nation-the Stars and
express the spirit of the
nation: 1t does not express the or
ganiZed force of the nation. And, while
know, and knew before I left Wash
ngton what the spirit of the people
was. l have come out to ask them
what their organization is, and what
they intend to make it.
Modern wars are not won by mere
numbers. They are not won by mere
They are not won by mere
national spirit. They are won by the
scientific conduct of war-the scientific
application of irresistible force. And
what is there behind the President of
The United States?