Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-12-29
WILSON SPEAKS
IN LIGHT vein AT
MANSION HOUSE
Audience AppIauds Defense of
Breaking PreCedents and
Apt Quotation from
Charles Lamb.

London, Dec. 2S.-The program of
the Mansion house luncheon was
comparatively informal except for
the toasts. When the aged master
of ceremonies, in city livery and
standing behind the lord mayors
chair, proclaiming your royal high
ness addressing the duke of Con-
naughO, my lords. your excellencies.
ladies and gentlemen, | pray silence
for the president OF the United
States" there was a burst of hearty,
although decorous, enthusiasm with
handclappng, waving of napkins and
beating of tables.
The presidents speech was in a
lighter vein, with a personal touch
He described himself, not as a cold
talking machine, but with something
of Scotch caution, tempered by lik-
ing for insurgencies, which could
have no other than Celtic origin
His explanation of the breaking of
precedent in coming to Europe be-
cause he thought consultation was a
duty above all others, was applaud
ed, as was his quotation from
Charles Lamb that one could not
hate a man whom he knew. The
president spoke without touch of
emotion or hesitation. His only
gesture was when he spoke of the
shadow of grief which had been
lifted from the world.
Presidents Address.
President Wilson said:
"Mr. Lord Mayor, your royal
highness, your grace, ladies and
gentlemen:
"You have again made me feel,
sir, the very wonderful and generous
welcome of this great city and you
have reminded me of what has, per-
haps, become one of the habits of
my lie.
"You have said that I have broken
all precedents in coming across the
ocean to join in the counsels of the
peace conference, but think those
who have been associated with me
in Washington will testify that that
is nothing surprising. l said to the
members of the press in Washing
ton one evening that one of the
things that had interested me most
since ! lived in Washington was
that every time I did anything per-
fectly natural it was said to be un-
precedented.
1T was perfectly natural to break
this precedent, natural, because the
demands for intimate conference
took precedence over every other
duty. And, after all, the breaking of
precedents, though this may sound
strange doctrine in England, is the
most sensible thing to do. The har-
ness of precedence is sometimes
a very sad and harassing trammel.
'In this case, the breaking OF
precedent is sensible. for a reason
that is very prettlly illustrated in
remark attributed to Charles Lamb.
One evening, in a company of his
friends, they were discussing a per-
son who was not present and Lamb
said, in his hesitating manner: I
hate that fellow why Charles
one of his friends said. 4 did not
know that you knew him. oh he
said, I'LL don't. I can't h-hate
a man | know
"And, perhaps. that simple and at
tractive remark may furnish a secret
for cordial international relationship.
When we know one another we can
not hate one another.
Talks About Himself.
II have been very much interested
for coming here to see what sort
of a person I was expected to be.
So far as ! can make out, / was ex-
pected to be a perfectly bloodless
thinking machine, whereas l am per-
fectly aware that I have in me all
the insurgent elements of the hui
man race. I am sometimes, by rea-
son of long Scotch tradition. able
to keep these instincts in restraint.
The stern Covenanter tradition that
Is behind me sends many an echo
down the years. It is not only dill
gently to pursue business, but also
to seek this sort of comradeship,
that I feel it is a privilege to have
come across the seas and. in the
welcome that you have accorded
Mrs. Wilson and me. you have made
us feel that companionship was ac
cessible to us in the most delightful
and enjoyable form.
II thank you sincerely for this
welcome, sir, and am very happy to
join in love feast which is all the
more enjoyable because there is be-
hind il background of tragical suf-
fering. Our spirits are released
from the darkness of the clouds that
ut one time seemed to have settled
upon the world in a way that could
not be dispersed, the sufferings of
your own people. the sufferings OF
the people OF France and the infinite
suffering of the people of Belgium.
The whisper of grief that has been
blown all through the world is now
silent and the sun of hope seems
to spread its rays and to change
!. the earth with a new prospect OF
happiness. SO our JOY is all the
more elevated because we know that
our spirits are now lifted out of that
valley"