The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-03-06
ONLY. FAIR DEALING
ISDEMAND OF y. S,
Events of the World Conflict
Have Severed America FOR
ever From Its Isolation.

NNNI VII 40
WASHINGTON. Mar. 5.-Prcsidcnt
Wilson'S Inaugural address was rs lot
lows:
My follow citizens: The f"Hr %%a:S
which have elapsed since last / S'""u IN
this place have been crowded WIN r"u' ,,
sci and action Of the most Nlt;u lhictcH1
and consequence. Perhaps no tHun' pei
iud in our history has been 50 iruli"
of important r2f0rmS i'll Uur rc"nt'li,ii'
and industrial liz" or :" tut nl SlSi'tn
cant changes in tn" spirit and rHrl'"S"
OF our political action. We have sought
very thnughlfulIy to set oar house ~
order, correct The gross errors anu
abuses Of our industrial !Ii" Hn'Tt'SH
and quicken tho processes "i or our Ia" ,
tionaI genius AMI energy, ana hi' "u'
politics to a broader view or the Ie"'i'
essential interests. II is a record OF
singular variety and singular olStiHC
ton Bul ! shall not attempt tn rev 'M
il. IT speaks tor ltScll ana VIII ,,y
increasing influence as the years /" ny
This is not the time for rctr"Sli'''l. ~
is ,itnr. rather. ~ speak our Thoughts
and purposes concerning the present an"
future.
"Althcutsh We have conferred couns"'
and action with such unusual Gunrcht''',
lion and success upon great lroutc'iH -
domestic legislation 10 which We ~
dressed ourselves four years age ON,
matters hav.. more and more lo,Cru
themselves upon our attention ltal tS
living outside our own life rs natlon
and over which we had no coRtro! but.
which DESPITE: -rur wish It, keep Tree ~
them. have drawn Ws moro ana more i.
rcSistably into their own current ana III
iuence. ,,.,,
iii has been Impossible" to avoid them.
They have affected the life Of the Whul"
world. They hav" shaken mcn cFSI:
where with 4 passion ana ah hPPte"' ..
sion they never knew before. II mas
t,,,i calm counsel WILD
he thought OF our own people S"aH'"
This way and That under their influence
We arc composite and coSmopoI''"''
people. ,,, - al ,,,ions
Thai arr Ut war. Tho currents OF cur
thoughts as well as Ill" currents OF OUT
trade run quick at all seasons nack an,
forth between US AMI them. nc va.
minds. our industries, our commerce. our
noii,ics and our social action. TO Dc III
different to it,. or independent O III was
out of the question.
Closer Together.
And vet all the while VIC have ncrll
conscious that we were not part Oh ~
In that consciousness. despite many dl-
visions. We have drawn closer together.
We have been deeply wrunScd upon lne
seas but We have not wished t" wTonE
or iniure IN return; have retained
throughout tho consciousness or stahu-
ing in some sort apart. Intent upon III
interest that transcribed inc l'hncnhIu'
ISSUES Of the war itself. AS some vi tIic
We have still been clear that We WISH
ed nothing for ourselves That we we're
not ready TO demand for all MANKIND
fair dealing. justice. the freedom 10 I'VE
and be at case against organized wrong
1T is in this spirit and with inns We
hiclc that VIC have grown more anu
more aware, moro and more certain tial
the part we wished 10 play was inc
part OF those who mean 10 vindicatc and
fortiry pearc. We have been obliged
to arm ourselves to make good our
claim to Il certain minimum OF right ana
of freedom of action. We stand nrlll III
armed neutrality since 1t seems that III
no other way VIC can demonstrate WHIT
it is we insist upon and cannot ioIeE"
We may even be drawn on by c!rculh-
stances not by our own purpose or &c
sire to a more active assertion OF our
rights as We sec them and Il more i'm
mediate assertion with the great StruS-
gle itself Eut nothing vii! alter our
thought or our purpose. They are 100
clear TO he obscurcd. They arc too deep
" rooted in the principles of our ma
tional life to be altered. We desirt
neither conquest nor advantage. we
wish nothing that can be had only nt
tho cost of another people. We have al,
ways profcsscd unsclhsh purpose ami
we covct the opportunity 70 prove t"iu
our professions are sincere.
Many Things to Be Done.
"Thcrc arc many things still 70 d"
at home TO clarity our own politics
and give new vitality TO the industrial
processes OF our own life. and we shall
do them as time and opportunity serve;
but We rctliz" that the greatest things
that remain TO be done must be donc
with tho whole world for stage and IN
cooperation with tho wide and unfrcr-
sal forces Of mankind, and We arc MAX
ing our spirits ready for those things.
They will follow in the immediate walk"
of the war itself and rrovincialS no
longer Tho traSiral events of the 10
months Of vital turmoil through which
wo have Just passed have made us citt-
Zcns Of the world. There can be no
turning back. Our own fortunes AS a
nation are involved. whether we would
have It so or not.
And vet we arc not the less 4incri-
cans on that account. We shall be- the
more American If W. but remain iru"
to the principles in which we have been
bred. They are not tho principles VI Il
province or OF single continent. We
have known and boasted all along That
they were the principles of liberated
mankind These. therefore, arc the
things wc shall stand for. whether In
war or in peace:
THAT all nations are equally inter-
ested in the peace Of the world and in
the political stability of free people. and
equally responsible for their maInt"u-
ance:
THAT the essential principle OF peace
is tho actual equality of nations in al!
matters OF right or privilege;
THAT pc;tcc cannot securely or justly
rest upon an armed balance OF power:
THAT governments derive all their
lust powers from tho consent or the
governed and that no other powers
should be supported by IN" common
thong ht. purpose or power Of the family
of nations:
Seas Should 30 Free.
THAT the seas should hc equally free
and safe for the use of all peoples, un-
der rules set up by common agreement
and consent, and that. so far as practice
bile they should be accessible TO all upon
equal terms:
"That national ornaments should lie
limited to the necessities Of national
order and domestic safety:
"rhat the community Of interest and
Of power upon which peace must hence
forth depend Imposes upon each nation
the duty Of seeinE TO ii that all inIlu-
rnccS proceeding from its own citizens
meant to encourage or assist revolution
i'm at her states should b" Stcrn1y and ef-
fcctually suppressed and prevented.
Il need not argue these principles To
yulI. my fellow c"lIntryncu. They are
YOUR own. part and parcel Of your own
thinking and your own motive in al
fairs. They spring M native amongst
us. Upon this as platform Of purpose
and OF action we can stand together.
And 1t is imperative that we should
into new unity amidst the fires that
now blaze throughout the world. In
their ardent heat, we Shal! in. Gods
nrn,.idcnrp Let us hone, he pIIrGcd of