The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-07-04

Mount Vernon, Va, July A.
President Wilson today pledged the
United States to fight on against the
Teuton menace until "fnal settle
ment" is achieved. There can be mo
compromises \ he said. "No half way
decision would be tolerable."
Beofre a nots international
gathering at the tomb of Washington
here, he spoke proudly and with con-
fident hope" for the liberation of ma
tions, afflicted by "the blinded rulers
Of Prussia"
He defined the ends to which, not
America alone, but "the associated
peoples of the world" are fighting and
declared for a knockout of "every
arbitrary power anywhere that can,
Of it's single choice, disturb the peace
Of the world"
The text of his address follows:
"Gentlemen Of the diplomatic corps
and my fellow citizens: / am happy
to draw apart with you to this quiet
Tlace of old counsel in order to speak
little Of the meaning Of this day Of
our nations independence. The place
seems very still and remote. 1t is as
severe and untouched by the hurry of
the world as it was IN those great
days long ago when General Wash
ingtOn 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 locked out upon the world and
So wit whole, saw it with the light of
the future upon it, saw it with mod
ern eyes that turned away from a
past which men Of liberated spirits
could no longer endure. It is for
that reason that we cannot feel, even
here, in the immediate presence of
thsi 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 here surrounded are the
inspiriting associations of that noble
death whcih is only glorious con-
summation. 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 men
free.
1t is signifcant-signifcant of
their own character and purpose and
Of the influences they were setting
afcct--that Washington and his asso-
ciated, like the Barons at Runnymade,
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 a
single people only, but for all man
kind. They wers thinking, not of
themselves and of the material inter-
ests which ventred in the little groups
of landholders and merchants and
men Of affairs with which they were
accustomed to act, in Virginia and the
colonies to the north and south of
here. but OF people which wished to
be done with classes and special inter
ests and the authority of men whom
they had not themselves chosen to
rule over them. They entertained no
private purpose, desired no peculiar
privilege. They were consciously
claiming that men Of every class
should be free and 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 own from
them--dO we not? We intend what
they intneded. We here in America
believe our participation in this pres