The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1918-07-12
NO COMPROMISE
WITH THE HUNS

|
and Italy published the speech of
President Woodrow Wilson at the
tomb of Washington in Mt Vernon,
Virginia, on the Fourth of July,
but in the noise and fervor of the
celebration many did not take the
time to read the papers. This
speech will become historic as proph-
esying the terms of peace when the
greatest tragedy in all time shall
have come to an end.
The Journal, therefore, prints the
Presidents declaration and urges
it's readers to carefully consider it
and "stand pat" upon every word
of it.
The text of the address follows:
Gentlemen of the diplomatic corps
and my fellow citizens:
II 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 independence. The place
seems very still and remote. 1t is
as serene and untouched by the
hurry of the world as it was in
those great days long 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 look
ed 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 a past
which men of liberated spirits could
10 longer endure. 1t is for that
'eason that we cannot feel, even
here, in the immediate presence of
this sacred tomb, that this is place
# 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
ions by which we are here sur
rounded are the inspiring associa-
tions of that noble death, which is
only a glorious contamination. From
this green hillside we also ought
70 be able to see with comprehend
ing eyes the world that lies about
US, and should conceive anew the
purposes that must set men free.
Planned Freedom
at is NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of
their own character and purpose,
and on the influences they were
setting afoot-that Washington and
his associates, like the barons at
Runnymede, spoke and acted, not for
class, but for a people. 1t has
been left for US to see to it that
it shall be understood that they
spoke and acted, not for single
people only, but for all mankind
They were thinking, not of them
selves and of the material interests
which centered in the little groups of
| landholders and 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
10 we not? We intend what they
intended. We here in America be-
ieve our participation in this pres
ent war to be only the fruitage of
what they planted.
"Our case differs from theirs only
in this-that it is our inestimable
privilege to concert with men out
of every nation what shall make not
only the liberties of America secure,
but the liberties of every other
people as we'll. 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 settled once for all
what was settled for America in the
great age upon whose inspiration
we draw today This is surely a
fitting place from which calmly to
look out upon our task, that we may
fortify our spirits for its accom-
plishment.
Plot Is Plain
"And this is the appropriate
place from which to avow, alike
to the friends who look on and to
he friends with whom we have
the happiness to be associated in
action, the faith and purpose with
which we are all in action.
"This, then, is our conception
of the great struggle in which we
are engaged The plot is written
plain upon every scene and every
act of the supreme tragedy. On the
)ne hand stand the peoples of the
world-not only the peoples actually
engaged, but many others also who
suffer under mastery but cannot act,