Omaha daily bee., 1917-03-06
INAUGURAL ADDRESS
OF THE PRESIDENT
Executive Says All Nations Are
Equally Responsible for Po-
litical Stability Of People.
U. s. CANNOT TURN BACK

Washington, March 5.--President
Wilson's inaugural address was as fol-
lows: IVA s3. 2
my Fellow Citizens: The four
years which have elapsed since last l
stood in this place have been crowded
with counsel and action OF the most
vital interest and consequence. Per-
haps no equal period in our history
has been so fruitful OF important re-
forms in our economic and industrial
life or so full of significant changes in
the spirit and purpose Of Our poll
tical action. We have sought very
thoughtfully to set our house in or
der, correct the grosser errors and
abuses of our industrial life, liberate
and quicken the processes of our ma
tional genius,and energy and lift our
politics to broader view of the peo-
pies essential interests. 1t is a record
of singular variety and singular dis
tinction. But | shall not attempt to
review it. 1t speaks for itself and will
be of increasing influence as the years
go by. This is not the time for et-
respect. 1t is time, rather, to speak
our thoughts, and purposes concern
ing the present and the immediate
future.
( International Issues.
Although we have centered coun-
sci and action with such unusual con-
centration and success upon,the great
problems of domestic legislation to
which we addressed ourselves four
years ago, other matters have more
and more forced themselves upon our
attention, matters lying outside our
own life as a nation and over which
we had not control, but which, despite
our wish to keep free Of them, have
drawn us more and more irresistibly
into their own current and influence.
1T has been impossible to avoid
them. They have affected the life OF
the whole world. They\have shaken
men everywhere with a passion and
an apprehension they never knew be-
fore.
4 Currents in National Life.
ut has been hard to preserve calm
counsel while the though, of our own
people swayed this way and that up-
deg their influence. We are a conn
poSite and cosmopolitan people. We
are OF the blood OF all the nations
that are at war. The currents OF
our thoughts as we'll as the currents
of our trade run quickly at all sea.
sons back and forth between us and
them. The war inevitably set its
mark from the first alike upon out
minds, our industries, our commerce
our politics and Our social action. To
be Indifferent to it or independent oi
it was out of the question. r y..-.
"And yet all the while we have
been conscious that we were not par
Of it We were conscious, despite
many divisions, we have drawn close
together. We have been deeplS
wrongcd upon the seas, but we have
not wished to wrong or injure in re-
turn; have trained throughout thu
CONSEQUENCES of standing in some
sort apart, intent upon an interes
that transcribed the immediate is
sues OF the war itself. As some o.
the injuries done US have become in
tolerable, we have still made it cleal
that we wished nothing for ourselves
that we were not ready to demand fol
all mankind fair dealing, justice, tn,
freedom to live and be at ease agains
organized wrong. ..
Firm in Armed Neutrality.
"It is in this spirit and with thi.
thought that we have grown NOR,
and more aware, more and more GER
tain that the part we wished to pla,
was the part Of those who mean t.
yindicate and fortify peace. We hav'
ttbntinued on Page Two. Column Three.