Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-12-28
Persistent Wilson Replies

Replying to the Kings address
President Wilson said:
Il am deeply complimented by he
gracious words which you have ut
tered. The welcome which you have
given me and Mrs. Wilson has been
so warm, SO natural. SO evidently
from the heart, that we have been
mere than pleased. We have been
touched by it and I believe that |
correctly interpret that welcome as
embooyjng not only your own Senel-
Gus spirit toward us personally but
also as expressing for yourself and
the great nation over which you pre-
SIDE that same feeling for my people
for the people Of the United States.
For you and /. sir-I porarily-
elnbody the spirit of two great ma
tons and whatever strength | have
and whatever authority | possess ii
only so long and so far as | express
the spirit and purpose of the Amer
lcan people.
Every influence that The Ameri-
can people have over the affairs Of
the world is measured by their SYM
pathy with which the aspirations OF
freemen everywhere.
"America does love freedom, and I
believe that she loves freedom unse!f-
iShly But if she does not she will not
and cannot help the influence to
which she justly aspires.
II have had the privilege. Sir. of
comforting with the leaders of your
own government and with he spokes-
men of the government of France and
italy and am glad 10 say that | have
the same conceptions that they have
Of the significance and scope of the
duty on which we have met,
we nave used great words: all of
MS; have used the great words right
and Justice and row we arc to prove
whether or not we understand these
words and how they are to he APP
Piled to the particular settlements
which must conclude this war.
and We must not only understand
them. but we must have the cour
age 10 act upon our understanding.
Yet after ] have uttered the word
courage it comes into my mind that
il would take more courage to resist the
great moral tide now running in the
"pEit IMAM 10 iSlu " IL anu W 'ttS II.
There is a great tide running in the
hearts of men. The hearts OF men have
never beaten so singularly i'll unison he
fore Men have ne.er before been so
conscious of their brotherhood. Men
have never before realized how little
difference there Was between right and
Justice III one latitude ana in Hnothc:
under one sovereignty and under am
other And il will he cur high privi-
ie9e, | believe. sill. not only to apply the
moral Judgment Of the world to the
particular settlements which We Shall
attempt but also to organize the moral
force of the world to preserve those
settlements to steady the forces OF
mankind and to make the RICH, and tn
Justice to which great nations like or
own have devoted themselves, the pre-
dominant and controlling force Of the
world
There is something Inspiring m
knowing that this is the crrand that w
have come on Nothing less than TINS
will ever justify me in leaving the inn
portant tasks which fall upon me upon
the other side of the sea-nothing but
the consciousness tkat nothing else
compares with this in dignity and i'm
portance "Thereture it IS the more
delightful to find myself III The COM
pany of a body Of men united in ideal
purpose and to feel that am privileged
TO unite my thor gifts with yours IN car
rying forward these standards which We
are SO proud to hold high and 10 defend.
MAY T not, sir with 4 feeling Of pro-
found sincerity and friendship aud SYM
pathy, propose your health and that Of
the Queen for the prosperity OF Great
Britain"