The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-12-28
The Presidents Reply

Replying to the Kings address,
President Wilson said:
II am deeply conplimented by the
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.
more than pleased We have been
touched by it. and / believe that ]
correctly interpret that welcome as
embodying not only your own gener-
GUS spirit toward US personally. but
also as expressing for yourself and
the great nation over which you
preside that same feeling for my
people, for the people of the United
States. & t#~ ~
'For you and ]. sir-I temporarily
-embody the spirit of two great ma
tions and whatever strength l have,
and whatever authority, I possess 1t
only so long and SO far as express,
the spirit and purpose of the Amer1-
can people.
"Every influence that the Ameri-
can people have over the affairs OF
the world is measured by the. SYM
pathy with the aspirations OF free
men everywhere.
America does love freedom and 1
believe that she loves freedom un-
selhshly. But IL she does not she
will not and cannot help the infiu-
ence to which she justly aspires.
Have Same Conception
"I have had the privilege, sir, or
conferring with the leaders Of your
own government and with the
spokesrnen Of the governments OF
France and of Italy and am glad to
say that I have the same concep-
tions that they have OF the signih-
canoe and scope of the duty on
which we have met:
1--WE have used great words; all
of us have used the great words
right and justice and now we are
to prove whether or not we under
stand these words. and how they are
to be applied to the particular settle
ments which must conclude this war.
"And we must not only under
stand them, but we must have the
courage to act upon our under
standing.
"Yet after have uttered the word
courage it comes into my mind that
it would take more courage to resist
the great moral tide now running in
the world than to yield to it. than to
obey it.
Great Tide Running
There is a great tide running in
the hearts OF men. The hearts OF
men have never been so singularly
in unison before. Men have never
before been so conscious OF their
brotherhood. Men have never be-
fore realized how little difference
there was between right and justice
in one latitude and in another, under
one sovereignty and under another.
And it will be our high privilege,
I believe, sir. not only to apply the
moral judgment of the world to the
particular settlements which we
shail4 attempt, hat also to organize
the Isoral force Of the, world to pre-
serve these settlements, to steady
the forces of mankind and to make
the right and the justice to Which
great nations like our own have de- |
voted themselves, the predominant |
and controlling force Of the world. |
There is something inspiring in |
knowing that this is the errand that |
we have come on. Nothing less than |
this would have justified me in 1eav- |
ing the important tasks which fall |
upon me upon the other side Of the |
sea-nothing but. the consciousness |
that nothing else compares with this |
in dignity and Importance.
Therefore, it is the more delight !
full to find myself in the company Of |
a body OF men united in ideal and |
purpose and to feel that am priv |
ileged to unite my thoughts with |
yours in carrying forward these |
standards which we are so proud to |
hold so high and to defend.
May not, sir, with a feeling Of |
profound sincerity and friendship |
and sympathy, propose your health |
and the health Of the Queen and the !
prosperity of Great Britain?"