New-York tribune., 1916-01-28
Will Fight for Honor
of Country if
Threatened.
POSSIBLE HOSTILE
ACTION FEARED
Won't Seek War, but
Won't Try to Avoid 1t
if Necessity Calls.

President Wilson last night ex-
pressed his first grave doubts as to
possible foreign complications--com-
plications that he intimated might
come any day. Along with this
statement came assertions that
were ready to fight for
their ideals.
These new views on the part Of
the President came in a discussion
Of governmental affairs at the an
nual dinner of the Railway Business
Association at the Waldorf Astoria.
So earnest did the President be-
come that he forgot his original
manuscript, departed from his first
plans of less definite discussion, and
repeatedly referred to the possibility
of militant action in defence Of the
nations honor.
81 cannot tell you what the inter
national relations of this country
will be tomorrow; and / use the
word literally" said the President.
"And would not dare keep silent
and let the country suppose that to-
morrow was certain to be as bright
as to-day. America will never be
the aggressor; America will always
seek to the last point at which her
honor is involved to avoid the things
which disturb the peace Of the
world. But America does not
control the circumstances Of the
world, and we must be sure that we
are faithful servants of those things
which we love, and are ready to de-
fend them against every contingency
that may affect or impair them"
"There are some things Amer
leans want more than peace. We
won't seek war, but we won't try 70
avoid it if it becomes a necessity.
I would rather surrender territory
than those ideals which are the staff
of life to the American soul.
The Presidents speech in full at the
Railway Business Association dinner
was as follows:
"The question, it seems TO me, which
most demands clarification just now Is
the question TO which your toastmaster
has referred-the question OF prepara-
ton for national defence; because, sim
gularly enough, it has been deeply
clouded by passion and prejudice. lt
is very singular that a question the
elements OF which are so simple and so
obvious should have been so beclouded
by the discussion of men OF high mo-
tive, men of purpose as handsome as
any of us may claim, and yet apparent
ly incapable of divesting themselves OF
that sort of provincialism which con-
sists in thinking the contents of their
own mind 70 be the contents of the
mind of the world. For, gentlemen,
while America is a very great nation.
while America contains all the elements
of fine force and accomplishment,
America does not constitute the major
part of the world.
"We live in q world which we did
not make, which we cannot alter, which
cannot think into a different condition
from that which actually exists. II
would be a hopeless piece of provin-
cialism 70 suppose that because we
think differently from the rest of the
world we are al liberty TO assume that
the rest OF the world will permi. US TO
enjoy that thought without disturb
ance.
''It is a surprising circumstance also
that men should allow partisan feeling
or personal ambition 20 creep into the
discussion Of this fundamental thing.
How can Americans differ about the
safety Of America!
81, for my part, am ambitious that
America should do a greater and more
difficult thing than the great nations
on the other side OF the water have
done. In all the belligerent countries
men. without distinction Of party. have
drawn together 70 accomplish sue
cessful prosecution of the war Is IL
not a more difficult and more desira-
bic thing that all Americans should put
partisan prepossession aside and draw
together for the successful prosecu-
ton of peace! | covet that distinction
for America. and believe that Amer
lea is going to enjoy that distinction.
"Only the other day the leader OF
the Republican minority in the House
of Representatives delivered a speech
that showed that he was ready-and |
take il for granted that the men be-
hind him were ready--to forget party
lines in order that all men may 81
with common mind and impulse for
the service Of the country. And want,
upon this first public occasion, TO pay
my tribute of respect and obligation to
him.
II find it very hard indeed to ap-