The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-05-13
Says When War Is Over Men
Will No Longer Speak Of
Any Lines of Race
LOOKS FOR LONG AND
COSTLY CONFLICT
In Accepting for Red Cross
New Memorial Building in
Honor of Women of North
and South, Wilson Warns of
Long Struggle

Washington, My 12.-Prcsi-
dent Wilson this afternoon, in ac-
cepting on BEHALF OF the nation
the new memorial building to the
American Red Cfdss association,
predicted the entrance of this
country into the world war would
serve ITO make single people out
OF the great body OF those who call
themselves Americans
A note Of triumph rang In hts
voice when he said: THE divisions
which were predicted have not oc-
CURED and win not occur. Tho
| spirit OF this people Is already
united and when effort and suffer-
! ing and sacrifice have completed
the union, men will no longer
! speak Of any lines, either OF rnce
| or association, cutting athwart the
| great body of this nation
! The audience that filled the audito-
| rum of the Memorial Continental hall
| where tae exercises were held gave
/ tho president an ovation of FIVE
/ minutes duration when he closed his
remarks with the prophesy that the
| future would require the dedication OF
another memorial ito he erected to
those whose hearts to-day uniting.
united America"
Former President Taft Presides.
! Former President william Howard
Taft WAS the presiding officer at the
i exercises In brief Introductory
/ speech he outlined the history of the
movement that had It's elimination
today in the dedication OF the $780,
| 600 memorial built by the government
! of the United States and patriotic
citizens to the women OF tho North
{ ha Of South whp
sacrificed themselves during the Civil
war.
Presidents Address.
! The presidents address follows:
! Il. gives me very deep satisfaction
as the t!saiar head Of the american
Red Cross 10 accept in the name OF
that association this significant and
beautiful gift, the gift of the gov
eminent and Of private individuals
who have conceived IL their duty in
"a noble spirit and upon a great scale.
1T seems to me that the architecture
of the building suggests something
livery significant There are few build
Iings in Washington more simple in
their lines and in their combination
than the beautiful building We are
ldedicating this afternoon.
at hreathes spirit of modesty and
seems to adorn duty with its proper
garment OF beauty. 1t is significant
that it should be dedicated to the
women who served to alleviate suffer-
ling and comfort those who were in
lneed during oar Civil war. because
their thoughtful. disinterested self
sacrifice and devotion Is the spirit
which should illustrate the ser
vice OF the Red Cross.
/ Needs Public Support.
| THE Red Cross needs at this time
more than it ever needed before the
cooperating support of the Ameri-
lean people and all the facilities which
could be placed at its disposal to per-
form it's duties adequately and eff
Ictently. / believe that the American
people perhaps hardly yet realize the
SACRIFICES and sufferings that are be-
! fore them We thought the Acale
lof our Civil war was unprecedented.
but in comparison with the struggle
into which we now have entered the
Civil war seems almost insignificant
lin its proportions and in its expen-
dttures of treasure and OF blood. And
Therefore IL is a matter of the great
est importance that we should at the
! outset see to it that the American
iRed Cross is equipped and prepared
for the things that lie before 1t. 1t
will be our instrument to do the works
of alienation and OF mercy which
will attend this struggle. OF course,
1.-THE scale upon which it shall act will
be greater than the scale of any other
duty that it has ever attempted to
perform.
War Counsel Designated.
ut Is in recognition Of that fact that
the American Red Cross has just add
ed to its organization small body OF
4 men whom 1t has chosen to call It's
war council--not because they are to
+ thew q IN
serve in this special war those pur-
poses of counsel which have become
40 fmperatively necessary. Their first
4 duty will be to raise a great fund out
Of which to draw the resources for
+ tho performance OF their duty and I
don't believe it will be necessary to
appeal to the american people to
respond to their call for funds. be-
cause the heart of this country Is In
this war. and if the heart of the coun-
TRY Is in the war, its heart will! ex-
press itself in the gifts that will be
poured out for those humane pur-
poses. say the hear. 2f the eoun-
itry is in this war 5ecauae = would
= not have gone into = II It's cea.t HAD
mot been prepared for Il. It would
mot have gone into II l. T. had not
first believed that a.-e was the OPP
portunity 20 EXPRESS tbs character OF
the United States. Ne nave Eo.is into
IL with 40 tpM.a. grievances of our
own became we dsyo also always said
ttks.t ws voec t.se -~!ends and the GER
s.yar.s of mankind. We look for no
i profit. We saek for no advantage.
l w. y,s:i atcert no advantage out of
I this Wex. Wo go because We believe
s!that tkn very principles upon which
tho American republic Wa founded
u I $500 !. g-5Ss M M