Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-31

''NNNSSaiN Ahdt we should take Coun-
Sc, together for them. In the fact, two
tnlros OF the world are at war. II is not
merely a European struggle; nations in
the orient have become involved, as well
as nations in the west. and everywhere
there seems to be creeping even upon
inc nations disengaged the spirit and the
threat Of war. All the world outside OF
America is on fire. DO you wonder that
mems imaginations take color from this
situation? DO YOU wonder that there is
great reaction against war? DO YOU
wonder that the passion for peace grows
stronger as the spectacle grows more
tremendous and more overwhelming?
And do you wonder on the other
hand that mems sympathies become
deeply engaged on the one side or the
other? For no small things are happen
ing This is a struggle which will de-
termine the history of the world, dare
say for more than century to come. 4,
The One Great Neutral.
And in the meantime we, the people
Of the United States. are the one great
disengaged power. the one neutral power
finding it a little different to be neu-
trail because, like men everywhere else
we are human; we have the deep pas
sions of mankind in usi we have SYM
pathies that are as easily stirred as the
sympathies of any other people. We have
interests which we see being drawn slow
ly into the maelstrom of this tremen-
dous upheavai.
1T is very difficult for us to hold Off
and look with cool Judgment upon such
tremendous matters. And yet we have
held off. Il has not been easy for the
government at Washington to avoid the
acknowledgements which seem to bcset us on
every side. II has needed a great deal
of watchfulness, and an unrcmittinG pa
tieuve to do so. but all the while no
Amer can could fail to be aware that
America cid rot wish to become CIT
gagged. that she wished TO hold apart.
not bctarse SIC did not see the Issues OF
the struggle but because she thought her
duties to be tho duties Of peace and or
separate action. And all the while the
nations themselves that were engaged
seemed TO he look ng to MS for some SORT
Of ion not hos lie in character but
syn.ratho ic in character
called on 10 Intervene.
III rdly finslc thing has occurred VI
Euro q which has in any degree shocked
tic SO I'll iities OF mankind that the "
ci1incnt Of the United States mas not
hcct-csliod upon by tho ono side OF the
ether to protest and intervene with It's
moral influence, II not with its physlcsl
fore. Ii Is as If we were the great
su. ieI.ee before whom this stupendous
or; ga Is being played out and we are
asrcd to comment upon the turns ana
crisis of the plot. And not only are we
the audience and challenged to be the
umpire. so far as the opinion OF the
word Is cono eraod. but all the while our
own life touchcs these matters at many
points of vital contact.
The United states is trying to keep
up the processes OF peaceful commerce
while all the world IS at war and while
all the world is In need of the essential
things which the United States produces,
ar.l yet by an oversight, for which 1t is
difficult to forgive ourselves. we did not
provide ourselves when there was proper
peace and opportunity with mercantile
marine, by means of which, we could
carry the commerce of the world with
out interference OF the motives of other
nations which might be engaged in con-
troversy not our own.
Warning Nations nave Traues
"And so the carrying trade of the world
is for the most part in the hands of the
nations now embroiled in this great strug-
gle Americans have gone to all quar-
ters of the worl1, Americans are serving
the business of the world in every part
of It, and everyone of these men In busi-
ness affairs is our ward and we must see
to his rights and that they are respected.
do you not see how all the sensitive
places of our life touch these great dis
turbances? Now, in the midst of that.
what is it that we are called on TO do as
nation? l suppose that from the first
America has had one peculiar and par
tcular mission in the world, Other ma
tions have grown rich, my fellow eitizensi
other nations have been as powerful as
we in material resources in comparison
with the other nations of the world
ether nations have built up empires and
exercised dominion. We are not peculiar
i'm any of these things. but we are pecu'
liar in this: That from the first we have
dedicated our force to the service of jus
tice and righteousness and peace.
Our Chief Interest.
I'VE have said, Our chief interest is
not III lnt 'llSnNS OF property, nut IN the
rights of man; our chief interest is in
the spirits of men that they might be
free, that they might enjoy their lives
unmolested so long as they observe the
just rules of the game;. that they might
deal with their fellowmen with their
heads erect, the subjects and servants OF
no man. but the servants only of the
principles upon which their lives rested
4 And America has done more than care
for her own people and think of her owr
fortunes i'm these great matters. 1t has
said ever since the time of President
Monroe that II was the champion of free
dom and the separate sovereignty Of peo
pies throughout the western hemisphere
1t is trustee for those ideals and it II
pledged deeply and permanently pledged
TO keep those momentous promises.
1T not only. therefore, must play IL
part in keeping this conflagration from
spreading to the people OF the United
States It must also keep this conflagra.
tbon from spreading on this side of the
sea-.
Can Never Draw Back.
These are matters in which our yer,
life and our whole pride are embedded
and rooted, and we can never draw bacl
from them. And I, my fellow citizens
because Of the extraordinary office will
which vou have entrusted me- Y,,,,st