The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-05-31
|OURDEST|NY TO
. SERVEMANK|ND
SAYSPRES|DENT
Tells of Part America Must
Take in War
COUNTRY is A REFUGE
President in Address at Arlington
Cemetery Thrills Union and Con-
federate Veterans of Civil War.

Washington, May 31-President
| Wilson, speaking yesterday at Memor
ial day exercises in Arlington ceme-
cry, declared the time had come for
action by this nation and that he had
no fear of the part America would
play in the great world war in the
providence of God" he said, "Ameri-
ca once more has an opportunity TO
show the world that she was born to
serve mankind"
The program has conferred an un.
merited dignity upon the remarks !
am going to make by calling them an
address, because | am not here to de-
liver an address, said the president.
Il am here merely to show in my Off
cial capacity the sympathy of this
great government with the object of
this occasion, and also to speak just
word Of the sentiment that is in my
own heart.
ANY Memorial day of this sort is,
OF course day touched with sorrow
ful memory, and yet | for one do not
see how we can have any thought
of pity for the men whose memory
we honor today. do not pity them
| envy them, rather, because this is
a great work for liberty accomplished
and we are in the midst of work
ts,EnfShad mn OF o Nfhnrp
that strength already has been tested.
There is a touch of sorrow, but there
is a touch of reinsurance also in
day like this. because we know how
the men OF America have responded
to the call of the cause of liberty and
it fills our mind with perfect as
surance that that response will come
again in equal measure, with equal
majesty, and with a result which will
hold the attention of all man.
kind. 1t is struggle of men
who love liberty everywhere, and
in this cause America will show her
self greater than ever because she
will rise to greater thing.
I'VE have said in the beginning that
we planned this great government
that men who wish freedom might
have a place of refuge and place
where their hope could be realized
and now, having established such a
government, having preserved such
government, having vindicated the
power of such a government, We are
saying to all mankind: We did not
set this government up in order that
we might have a selfish and separate
liberty, for we are now ready 10 come
to your assistance and fight out ON
the fields of the world. the cause OF
human liberty In this thing Amer
lea attains her full dignity and the
full fruition of her great purpose.
mo man can be glad that such
things have happened as we have
witnessed in these last fateful years,
but perhaps it may be permitted to
us to be glad that we have an OPP
portunity to show the principles that
we profess to be living principles, that
live in our hearts and TO have a
chance by the pouring out of our
blood and treasure TO vindicate the
things which we have professed For
my friends, the real fruition of life
is to do the things we have said we
wished to do These are times when
words seem empty and only action
seems great. Such a time has come,
and in the providence of God Amer
lea will once more have an opportuni-
ty to show to the world that she was
born to serve mankind" i