Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-05-31
America Will Again Have 0p-
portunity to Show That She
Was Born to Serve Man
kind, He Says at Arlington,
ENvIES SOLDIERS WHO
SERVED IN CIVIL WAR
Their Work Is Accomplished
While Present Generation Is
in Midst of Work Unflnish-
ed, Says Wilson.


Washington. May 30.--President
Wilson, speaking today at memorial
exercises in Arlington cemetery. de-
clared 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.
America once more has an oppor.
tunity to show the world that she was
born to serve mankind"
The president declared that while
no such day as this could be without
sorrow, he looked rather with envy
on those who served their country in
the civil war, because their work for
liberty was accomplished.
The program has conferred an
unmerited dignity upon remarks I
am going to make by calling them an
address, because 1 am not here to de-
liver an address," the president said.
Il am here merely to show in my Of
fetal capacity the sympathy of this
great government with the objects 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, a day with
sorrowful 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. I envy them, rather. be-
cause theirs Is great work for lib
erty accomplished and we are In the
midst of q work unfinished, testing
our strength where their strength
has already been tested.
Finds Reinsurance In Day.
There is u touch OF sorrow but
there Is touch of reinsurance also
in a day like this, because we know
how the men of America have re-
sponded to the call of the cause Of
liberty and IL fills our mind with q
perfect assurance that that response
will come again in equal measure.
with equal majesty and with a re-
source which will hold the attention
OF all mankind.
When you reflect upon II. these
men who died to preserve the union
decided TO preserve the instrument
world--a free nation and espouslng
the cause Of human liberty. In one
sense the great struggle Into which
we have now entered Is an American
struggle. because 1t Is In the sense OF
American honor, but It Is something
even greater than that--it is a world
struggle. It Is a struggle of men
who love liberty everywhere and In
this cause America will show herself
greater than ever because she will
rise to a greater thing. We have said
In the beginning that we planned this
great government that men who wish
freedom might have a place OF refuge
and a place where their hope could
be realized and. having established
such a government, having preserved
such a government, having vindicat-
ed the power OF such q government,
We are saying to all mankind:
Nation Attains Full Dignity.
I'VE did not set up this govern
ment in order that we might have
a selfish and separate liberty for we
are now ready to come to your as
sistance and fight out upon the field
Of the world the cause of human lib
erty.
In this thing America attains her
full dignity and the full fruition Of
her great purpose. No man can
be glad that such things have hap
pened as we have witnessed in these
last fateful years, but perhaps 1t may
be permitted for us to be glad that
We have an opportunity to show the
people that We profess to be living
principles that live in our hearts and
to have a chance by the pouring out
Of 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. There are
times when words seem empty and
only action seems great. Such
time has come and in the providence
Of God, American will once more
have an opportunity to show to the
world that she was born to serve
mankind