The Benson signal., 1918-07-13

Mount Vernon, July 4.-That George
Washington and his associates spoke
and acted, not for class, but for peo-
pie and that it has been left for us to
see to it that 1t shall be understood that
they spoke and acted, not for single
people only, but for all mankind and
were planning that men of every class
should be free and America place to
which men out of every nation might
resort who wished to share with them
the rights and privileges of free men,
was the gist of speech delivered by
President Wilson at Washington's
tomb today
In the course of his address the pres
ident asserted that in the present world
struggle the peoples of the world find
themselves confronted by selfish
group of nations who speak no COM
mon purpose but only selfish ambitions
of their own and by which none can
profit but themselves and whose people
are fuel in their hands.
Text of Address.
The text Of the presidents speech
follows:
Gentlemen Of the Diplomatic Corps
and Ny Fellow Citizens: l 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 1t was in those great days
long ago when General Washington
was here and held leisurely conference
with the men who were to be associ-
ated with him in the creation of a ma
tiOn. From the gentle slopes they
looked out upon the world and saw it
whole, saw it with the light of the fu-
ture upon it, saw it with modern eyes
that turned away from past which
men Of liberated spirits could no longer
endure, it is for that reason that we
cannot feel, even here, in the immedi-
ate presence of this sacred tomb, that
this is a place of death. 1t was a
place of achievement. A great promise
here given plan and reality. The as
sociations by which we are here sur
rounded are the inspiring associations
Of that noble death which is only a
glorious cOnsummatiOn. 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.
"It Is Significant-signitica of their
own character and purpose and Of the
influences they were setting safoot-
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 a single
people only, but for all mankind. They
were thinking, not Of themselves and
Of the material interests which cen
tered in the little groups Of landhold-
ers and merchants and men of affairs
with whom they were accustomed to
act, in Virginia and the colonies to the
north and south Of her, but of people
which wished to be done with classes
and special interests and the author
ity Of men whom they had not them
selves chosen to rule over them. They
entertained no private purpose, de-
sired no peculiar privilege.
Sought Freedom for All Men.
"They were consciously planning
that men of every class should be free
and America 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 cue from them-dO we not?
We intend what they intended. We
here in America believe our participa-
ton in this present 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 well. We are
happy 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