The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-04-25
President Wilson Declares
America Was Born to
Serve the Rest of
the World
SPEAKS AT D.A.R. CONGRESS
Says II Is II Splendid Thing to Have
II Tradition OF UnseIfishness

'o""' III an duureSS welcoming the
| Daughters OF the American ReyoIu-
tlon, gathered here to-day for their
annual convention, declared that rho
! only excuse America ever can have
lot the assertion of her physical
force is that she assert il in behalf
| or humanity. He was speaking of
the purpose of the Republic-born
TO serve the rest of the world inst
as much as itself-and had just said
that the nation will have forgotten
her traditions whenever she fights
merely for herself under such circum
stances as will show that she has
forgotten to fight for all mankind.
Line Grows Thinner
The president was enthusiastica1,v
applaudeS. When he was introduced
by Mrs. William Cumming Story.
president general of the organiza-
tion, the audience stood and cheered
and many OF the women waved Am
erican flags.
The president spoke Of the con-
stantly decreasing proportion of the
population Of the United States who
can trace their lineage to those who
fought in the American Revolution
and said that this very thing would
Keep the organization from being
suspected Of trying to build up an
organization to control the country. :"
"On the contrary" he said, "the
spirit in which you formed this or
ganization was from the first mani.
lest. 1t was not spirit of caste or
OF privilege, but a spirit of rever-
ence for a great tradition. and for
my part, 1 believe that the chief SER
vice OF great organization like this
Is 10 Keep certain beneficial senti-
ment warm and vital in the con-
sciousness of the American people.
Handsome Thing
Trad tion is handsome thing
III proportion as we live up TO II
we fall away from the tradition of
the fathers we have changed our
character, we have lost an old i'm
pulse; we have become unconscious
of the principles in which the life
OF the nation itself is rooted and
grounded.
Therefore. this organization nm
uertooK to keep those who feel un-
der its influence constantly remind
ed of the circumstances of the birth
or this nation and of the significa nee
OF the birth of this nation. That sig
nlficance was very singular signifi
canoe. No other nation was ever
porn into the world with the pur-
pose of serving the rest of the world
Just as much as it served itself
Purpose of the Nation
Ihe purpose of this nation was
IN one sense to afford an asylum
10 men OF all classes and kinds who
desired to be free and to take part
In the administration of a self-gov
erned commonwealth. 1t was found
ed in order that men OF everv sort
should have proof given that 2
commonwealth Of that sort was nrac-
ticeable, not only, but could win its
standard of distinction and mower
among the nations OF the world and
America will have forgotten her ira
ditions whenever upon any occasion
she flghts merely for herself under
such circumstances as will show that
she has forgotten to fight for all
mankind. And the only excuse that
America can ever have for the asser-
tion OF her physical force is that she
asserts ii In behalf of the interest,
of humanity.
\ Splendid Thing.
What splendid thing il is To
nave so singular a tradition? A
tradition Of unselfishness. When
America ceases to be unselfsh she
VIII cease to be America. When she
forgets the traditions of devotion IN
human rights in general, which gave
spirit and impulse to her founders
she VIII have lost her title deeds to
her own nationality"
While the president was spea king
Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Lansing wife
OF the secretary of state. sat in 81
box near the stage.
An effort to have congress virtual
~ abandon its programme for a ma
tional preparedness meeting Wednes-
day night enlivened the opening ses-
sion. Mrs. Walter Reed, of Califor