The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1918-07-05
WILSON 'SF0URTH
or JULY ADDRESS
At MT. VERNON
President Speaks TO Group of
Officials and Diplomats.
FOUR OBJECTS IN VIEW
What We Seek is Reign Of Law Upon
Conoent OF Governed, Declares
Chief Executive.

WILSON, To-Day dHSMcltu III ASCiVis AOt
a compromise peace with new and
conservation OF America
to the struggle for cleaning military
autocracy from the earth,
At an dependence Day gathering
on the gentle slope of Mount Vernon,
home and tomb of George Washing
ton. and surrounded by scenes which
looked upon the creation of this ma
lion. the President addressed small
gathering Of officials and diplomats OF
the allied nations.
The Presidents speech in full was
as follows:
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 independence. The
place seems very still and remote. 1t
is as serene and untouched by the
hurry of the world as ii was in those
great days long ago when General
Washington was here and held leis-
urely 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 II whole. saw il with
the light ke future upon 1t. saw 1t
with = eyes that turned away
from which men of liberated
spirits no longer endure. II is
for tn feason that we cannot feel,
even here, in the Immediate presence
of this sacred tomb that this is a
place of death. 1t was a place Of
achievement. A great promise that
was meant for all mankind was here
given plan and reality The associ-
ations by which we are here surround
ed are the inspiring association Of
that noble death which Is only a glor-
ious consummation From this green
hillside we also ought to be able 70
see with comprehending eyes the
world that lies around us and con.
ceive anew the purpose that must set
men free.
1T is significant significant OF
their own character and purpose and OF
the influences they were setting afoot
that Washington and his associates,
like the barons of Runnymede, spoke
and acted not for a class, but for a
people. II has been left for us to see
to it that it shallrbe understood that
they spoke and acted, not for a single
people only, but for all mankind.
They were thinking not OF them
selves and of the material interests
which centered in the little group OF
/ landholders and merchants and men
I Of affairs with whom they were ac-
customed to act. in Virginia and the
colonies to the north and south OF
] her, but of a people which wished to
( be done with classes and special in
( terests and the authority of men
whom they had not themselves chosen
to rule over them. They entertain
ed no private purpose desired no pc
culiar privilege. They were con
sciously planning that men of every
class should be free and America q
place 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 intend We here In America
believe our participation in this pre-
sent war to be only the fruitage o
what they planned. Our case differs
from theirs only in this, that it is oul
inestimable privilege ia. concert will
men out OF every nation what shall
make not only the liberties of Amel
lea secure but the liberties Of ever!
other people as we'll We are happ!
in the thought that we are permitted
to do what they would hav done hat
they been in our places There mus
now be settled once for all what wal
settled in America in the great ag'
upon whose inspiration we draw to
day. This is surely Il fitting plac
IRON which calmly to look out upol
our task, that we may fortify our spir
its for It's accomplishment An,
this is tho appropriate place fron
} which to avow, alike to the friend
: who look on and to the friends witt
D whom we have the happiness to b
associated in action, the faith an
D purpose with which we act.
"This then is our conception of tn
' great struggle III WHICH we are el
0 gagged. The plot is written plain III
: on every scene and every act of tn
supreme tragedy On the one han
0 stand the peoples of the world nc
0 only the peoples actually engaged
but many others also who suffer III
o der mastery but cannot act; people
of many races and in every part {
the world people of stricke
Russia still. among the rest, thoug
they are for the moment unorgani
: ed and helpless Opposed to then
$ master Of many armies stand an is
o lated, friendless group OF goveri
:. ments who speak no common purpos
|. but only selfish ambitions of the
n own by which none can profit but then
y selves. and whose people are fuel
Y their hands, governments which fe;
U their people and yet are for the tin
j. their sovereign lords making ever
Il choice for them and disposng of the
J. lives and fortunes as they Will, as we
}. as of the lives and fortunes of ever
people who fall under their powe
governments clothed with the stranl
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