Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-07-05
By .4ssoeiated Press

the peoples of the world, with a
pledge that the United States and
it's allies will not sheath the sword
in the war against the Central Pow
ers until there is settled "once for
all' for the world. what was settled
for America in 1916.
Foreign-born citizens of the United
States, thirty-three nationalities,
who had placed wreaths of palms on
the tomb in token of fealty to the
principles laid down by the father OF
his country, cried their approval of
his words in many languages and
then stood with reverently barred
heads while the voice of John Nc
Cormack scared over the hallowed
ground in the notes of the Star
Spangled Banner"
The following is the full text of
the Presidents speech:
Gentlemen of the Diplomatic
Corps and My Fellow Citizens: | am
happy to draw apart with you to this
quiet place of old counsel in order
to speak a little of the meaning of
this day of our nations independ-
ence. The place seems very still and
remote. 1t is as serene and untouch-
ed by the hurry of the world as it
was in those great days along ago
when General Washington was here
and held leisurely conference with
the men who were to be associated
with him in the creation of nation.
From these gentle slopes they looked
out upon the world and saw it whole,
saw it with the light of the future
upon it, saw it with modern eyes
that turned away from past which
men of liberated spirits could no
longer endure. 1t is for that reason
that we cannot feel. even here, in
the immediate presence of this sa-
cred tomb, that this is a place of
death 1t was a place of achieve
ment. A great promise that was
meant for all mankind was here
given plan and reality. The associa-
tions by which we are here sur
rounded are the inspiriting associa-
tions of that noble death which is
only glorious consummation. From
this green hillside we also ought to
be able to see with comprehending
eyes the world that lies about us and
NOllCClNV NhS pm PCSNS
that must set men free.
II is significant-significan of their
own character and purpose and of
the influences they were setting afoot
that Washington and his associ-
ates. like the barons at Runnymeade.
spoke and acted not for class, but
for a people. 1t has been left for
us to see to it that ii shall be under
stood that they spoke and acted, not
for a single people only, but for all
mankind. They were thinking, not
of themselves and of the material
lterests which centcred in the little
Houps of landholders and merchants
and men of affairs with whom they
were accustomed to act, in Virginia
and the colonies to the north of her,
but of people which wished to be
done with classes and specialsi sinter-
ests and the authority of men whom
they had not themselves chosen to
rule over them.
Inspired by Washington's Ideals
They entertained no private pur-
pose, desired no peculiar privilege.
They were consciously planning that
men of every class should be free
ana America a place to which men
out of every nation might resort who
wished to share with them the rights
and privileges of free men. And we
take our cue from them, do we not :?
We intend what they intended We
here in America believe our partici-
patton in this present war to be only
the fruitage of what they planted.
Our case differs from theirs only in
this that it is our inestimable priv
ilege to concert with men out of ev-
cry nation what shall make not only
~E
the liberties of every other people as
well.
We are happy in the thought that
we are permitted to do what they
would have done had they been in
our place. There must now be set
tied once for all what was settled for
America in the great age upon whose
inspiration we draw to-day. This is
surely a fitting place from which
calmly to look out upon our task,
that we may fortify our spirits for it's
accomplishments. And this is the
appropriate place from which to
avow. alike to the friends who look
on and to the friends with whom
we have the happiness to be associ-
ated in action, the faith and pur-
pose with which we act.
This, then, is our conception of the
great struggle in which we are en-
gagged. The plot is written plain upon
every scene and every act of the
supreme tragedy. On the one hand
stand the peoples of the world-not
only the people actually engaged. but
many others also whU suffer under
mastery but cannot act; peoples of
many races and in every part of the
world-the people of stricken Russia
still, among the rest though they
are for the moment unorganized and
helpless. Opposed to them, masters
of many armies, stand an isolated
group of governments who speak no
common purpose but only selfish AMI
bitions of their own by which mono
can profit but themselves and whose
peoples are fuel in their hands; gov
ernments which fear their people
and yet are for the time their SOW.
ereign lords. making every choice for
them and disposing of their lives and
fortunes as they will, as we'll as of
the lives and fortunes of every peo-
pie who fall under their power
governments clothed with the strange
trappings and the primitive author
ity of an age that is altogether alien
and hostile to our own. The past and
the present are in deadly grapple
and the peoples of the world are be-
ing done to death between them.
VIII Not Accept a Half Way De-
cision
There can be but one issue. The
settlement must be final. There can
be no compromise. No halfway de-
cision would be tolerable. No halt
way decision is conceivable. These
Iu For NIL. fO1, l. Il