Evening star., 1918-07-05
President Wilson's address at Mount

PRESIDENT Wilson'S address at Noun
Vernon yesterday follows:
Gentlemen OF the Diplomatic Corps
and My Fellow Citizens: I am hap
py to draw apart with you to this
quiet place Of old counsel in order to
speak little Of the meaning Of this
day of our nations independence.
The place seems very still and re-
mote. 1t Is as serene and un-
touched by the hurry Of the world as
1t was In those great days long ago
when Gen. Washington was here
and held leisurely conference with
the men who were to be associated
with him in the creation Of a ma
tion. From these gentle slopes they
looked out upon the world and saw
1t whole. saw 1t with the light Of the
future upon it. saw 1t with modern
eyes that turned away from a past
which men of liberated spirits could
no longer endure. 1t Is for that rea-
son that we cannot feel; even here.
in the immediate presence Of this
sacred tomb. that this is 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 associations
by which we are hero surrounded
are the inspiriting associations Of
that noble death which is only a
glorious contamination. From this
green hillside we also ought to be
able to see with comprehending eyes
the world that lies about US and
should conceive anew the purposes
that must set mon free.
Spoke and Acted for Mankind.
1t is significant-signinc of
their own character and purpose
and of the influences they were
setting. afoot-that Washington
and his associates, like the barons
at Runnymede. spoke and acted.
not for a class, but for a people
1t has been left for US to see to it
that 1t shall be Understood that
they spoke and acted, not for a
single people only, but for all
mankind. They were thinking,
not Of themselves and Of the ma
terial interests which centered in
the little groups Of landholders
and merchants and men of affairs
with whom they were accustomed
to act. in Virginia and tho colo
MES to tho north and south Of her,
but OF people which wished to be
done with classes and special in
terests and the authority of mon
entertained no private purpose,
desired no peculiar privilege.
They were consciously planning
that men of every class should be
free and America a place to which
sort who wished to share with
them the rights and privileges of
free men. And we take our cue
from them-do we not? We in
tend what they intended. We here
In America believe our participa-
tion In this present war to be only
the fruitage Of what they planted
Our case differs from theirs only
in this, that 1t is our inestimabie
privilege to concert with men out
OF every nation what snail make
not only tho liberties Of America
secure, Dut the nDertles OF every
other people as well. We are hap
py In the thought that we are per-
mitted 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 Amer
lea in the great age upon whose
inspiration we draw today. This
fs surely a fitting place from
which calmly to look out upon our
task. that We may fortify our
spirits for its accomplishment. And
this Is the appropriate place from
which to ayow, alike to the friends
who look on and to the friends
with whom we have the happiness
to be associated in action, the
faith and purpose with which we
act.
Past and Present Grapple. =.
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 one
hand stand the peoples OF the
world-not only the peoples ac-
tually engaged, but many others
also who suffer under mastery but
cannot act; peoples of many races
and IN every part OF the world