Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1917-05-22
THE CHRISTIAN
SCIENCE MONITOR
ON WILSON'S SPEECH
Editorial View of Presidents
Policy in Great Religious
Daily Newspaper.
1.-THE Country Behind the President"

President Wilson's address before
the Joint session Of the United States
Congress. on Monday night. has ST.
fenced his critics and disarmed his
opponents quite as completely as it
has pleased bis friends. Whatever
may have been the process Of thought
through or by which he was enabled
TO bring 1t about, the fact remains
that, in q time, and place, and circum-
stances remarkably advantageous. the
opportunity came to him of express
ing, as 1t has been given to few OF his
time or of any time, the unified senti-
nent of his country. Looking back
ward, it is possible. for those who
were most impatient, to see now that
the steps which they at intervals
urged him to take would have been
premature, and that it would then
have been impossible for him to go
nearly as far as the Nation on Mon
day was insistent that he should go.
1t has required a very. high order
and an almost ineXhaustible supply OF
patience and moral courage to enable
the President to await the coming OF
events which would justify his policy,
and render it as unassailable, in his
own country, and among the Allies
and their sympathizers, as it is at this
moment An impetuous man in his
place might long ago have urged Con-
xress to undertake the task which he
has at length advised, but it is doubt
full il the country, while giving freely
Of its support, would not have with
held its approval and enthusiasm. He
had the means Of informing himself
with regard to the state of opinion
and sentiment in all sections, and he
never lost sight Of the fact that he
was but an instrument of the people.
He sifted, and weighed, and waited.
In the campaign Of 1916 he was op-
posed and severely assailed, on one
side, for his alleged Partially to the
Entente governments; on the other
side he was criticized for his alleged
failure to protect the dignity and hon.
or of the Republic. His election
brought to one great element OF the
population the conviction that, at the
proper time, he would call halt to
Prussian ruthlessness; to another the
conviction that he would sacrifice
everything, even the Nations treasur-
ed ideals. for an unstable peace. The
time has been, since the election,
when some OF those who had support
ed as we'll as some Of those who had
opposed him in the campaign, all but
shook their fists in his face, charging
him with weakness, or duplicity, or
both.
It speaks we'll for the manliness of
the people that men Of note, editors.
and private citizens who, only week
ago, found it difficult to express with
satisfying harshness the distrust, even
the contempt, with which they regard
Cd the Presidents policy, are now.
without any attempt at concealment
Or reserve, confessing themselves In
the wrong and offering hearty and
grateful tribute to the craftsmanship
he has displayed.
The best which President Wilson
could have done two years, eighteen
months, one year, six months, or even
three months ago, would have been to
base the demands which he directed
toward Berlin upon offenses commit.
ted against the United States and its
people. He could, undoubtedly, at any
time since the Lusitania was sunk,
have found sufficient excuse for ad-
vising Congress to declare state of
war existent between the United
States and Germany, through the acts
Of the latter, on national grounds. 1t
would not have been a hard matter
for a country jealous Of its rights, hon
or, and dignity to have found ample
ground, IN at least score of in
stances since August, 1914, to justify
q declaration OF war against Ger
many; but it could have been only
war born Of resentment and passion,
because the public sentiment Of the
United States had not developed to
the point where it could look beyond
national grievances, wrongs, outrages,
and insults to the greater and more
sacred duty of taking part with the
nations that we're giving freely Of
their best in behalf of humanity and
democracy.
Today the country Is, without ques-
tion, behind the President, and not
because the Nation seeks revenge, or
even reparatiOn that would bear heav-
lily on any people, but because Il has
come to realize, as has its Chief
Magistrate, that there is far more at
stake in the conflict than ships, or
trade. or even human life. The Uni
ted States has been thought selfish
and sordid. 1t is going into this war,
under the leadership of Woodrow Will
son, without a care for material loss
or gain. 1t is going into this war
justified before the unprejudiced
thought of humanity by Woodrow
Wilson's remarkable declaration of it's
cause and its motive. In that declara-
ton there is no flaw, no discordant
note. 1t rings true to every sacred
tradition and aspiration of the peace
loving people whom it has awakened
into a new and inspiring sense OF OBJ.
Ngation and responsibility.
There Is no longer division OF the
mass. There is no longer Indifference.
Confidence has taken the place of
doubt. The Nation stands erect. The
people walk with firmer tread
Right" Is seen to be mere precious
than peace" Principle Is more to be
priced than profit The United States
Of America Is girding itself for its
lo1itim a 70 mart in tho mighty STRUGGLE