New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-06
Nation Preserved for Pres
ent Crisis, He Tells
Confederate Vets
Youths in Draft Line
A Warning to Foe
Show We Are Ready to
Fight for Liberty and
Mankind

| Washington. June 5.-Veterans and
| visitors in Washington for the TWEEN
ty-seventh annual reunion OF the Unit
ed Confederate Veterans joined to-day
in giving President Wilson a great
ovation when he welcomed the soldiers
! Of Dixie to the capital and told them
that the country was beginning to un-
derstand that one of the purposes of
| Providence in keeping the nation united
was to meet the opportunity now be-
fore America to fight for liberty and
mankind.
The hall was filed with thousands
and twice as many more had TO be
turned away. While waiting for the
| President the crowd cheered COnfeder-
ate leaders and noisily expressed its
| appreciation OF old airs of the South
played by the Marine Band and sung
by groups of gray-j acketed young wom-
en- from Portsmouth, Va.
Draft a Sign of Democracy
"To-d day" said the President in his
| speech of welcome, "the young men
of the nation are registering their
names as evidence Of their faith in de-
| mocracy and their duty and their pur-
pose to serve in the war for humanity.
81 esteem it a very great pleasure
and a real privilege to extend to the
men who are attending this reunion
very cordial greetings of the govern
ment of the United States.
There are many memories of the
| Civil War that thrill the blood and
make one proud to have been one of
race that could produce such bravery
and constancy; and yet the world does
| not live on memories. The world is
constantly making its toilsome way
| forward into new and different days,
and | believe that one of the things
| that contribute satisfaction TO a re-
union like this and a welcome like this
is that this is also a day Of oblivion.
There are some things that we have
thankfully buried. and among them are
the great passions of division which
once threatened TO rend this nation in
| twain.
"Many men, particularly of your own
generation, have wondered at some of
| the dealings of Providence, but the
wise heart never questions the dealings
of Providence, because the great, long
plan. Es il unfolds, has majesty
about il and a defniteness of purpose,
an elevation of ideals, which We were
incapable of conceiving as we try to
work things out with our own short
sight and weak strength.
To See Liberty Is Made Secure
And now that we see ourselves part
I nj
spirit and in purpose, We know the
great ends which God in His mysteri-
! Gus providence wrought through our
instrumentality, because at the heart
of the men of the North and of the
South there was the same love OF self
government and of liberty. and now we
are TO be an instrument in the hands
of God to see that liberty is made
secure for mankind.
AT the day of our greatest mvislon
there was one common passion among
US, and that was the passion for human
freedom. We did not know that God
was working out in His own way the
method by which We should best serve
human freedom-by making this ma
ton a great, united individual, indie
structive instrument in His hands fol
the accomplishment of these great
things.
"As | came about the street few
moments ago my heart was full OF the
thought that this is Registration Day
Will you not support me in feeling
that there is some significance in the
coincidence that this day when | come
to welcome you to the national capita
is a day when men young as you were
in those old days when you gathered
together to fight are now registering
their names as evidence of this great
idea, that in a democracy the duty &c
serve and the privilege to serve fall:
upon all alike?
There is something very fine, m!
fellow citizens, in the spirit OF the vol
unteer, but deeper than the voluntee
spirit is the spirit of obligation. Their
is not a man of us who must not hole
himself ready to be summoned to thu
duty of supporting the great govern
ment under which we live. No reall,
thoughtful and patriotic man is jeal
Gus of that obligation.
Ready to Serve Mankind
"These solemn lines Of young mel
going to-day all over the Union TO tn
places of registration ought TO be
signal to the world, to those who dar,
Aout the dignity and honor and right
of the United States, that all her man
hood will flock to that standard unde
which we all delight TO serve and tina
he who challenges the rights and prin
ciples Of the United States challenge
the united strength and devotion Of I
nation.
There are not many things that on
} desires about war, my fellow citizens
but you have come through war, yot
know how you have been chastened b!
il, and there comes time when II II
good for a nation TO know that it mus
sacrifice ii need be everything that j
has TO vindicate the principles which
it processes.
I'VE have prospered with a sort o
needless and irresponsible prosperity
| Now we are going TO Law all our wealth