The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-12
PRESIDENT MAKES
DISCLAIMER UPON
FOREIGN CHARGES
In Paris Address, Wilson Re-
l.. flutes Idea That American
People Are Largely Dollar
WOrShiperS Or MateriaIiStS

PARIS. May 12.-President Wilson, in
his address Saturday 10 the French
academy Of moral and political sciences,
entered a strong disclaimer OF the idea
that the American people were largely
materialists or dollar worshippers.
81 have had in recent months one
very deep sense Of privilege" the pres
ident said, II have been keenly aware
that there have BEEN times when the
peoples Of Europe haze not understood
the people of the United States. We
have been too often supposed to have
been devoted chiefly. II not entirely
to material enterprises. We have been
supposed, in the common phrase, to
worship tho almighty dollar.
I'VE have accumulated wealth, sir.
We have devoted ourselves tO material
enterprises with extraordinary success,
but there has underlain all of that, all
the time, a common sense OF humanity
and a common sympathy with the high
principles Of justice which has never
grown dim in the field even Of enter
prise; and 1t has been my very great
joy In these recent months to interpret
the people Of the United States to the
people Of the world.
II nave not done more, sir. / have
not uttered in my public capacity my
own private thoughts I have uttered
what have known to be the thoughts
Of the great people whom | represent.
| have uttered the things that have
been stored up in their hearts and
purpose from the time Of our birth as
a nation"
1t was at this point that the presi-
den made his declaration shat the
American people who came into the
world consccrated TO liberty, were ready
to cast In their lot in common with the
lot OF those whose liberty is threatened
whenever the cause of liberty was seen
to be imperilled.
This Is Spirit,
This is the spirit Of the people Of
the United States" he continued, 'and
they have been privileged to send o.
0o0, 900 men over here to tell you SO.
1t has been the great privilege not
merely to tell you SO in words, but to
tell you so in men and material-the
pouring out of their wealth and the
offering Of their blood"
President Wilson alluded to his
studies in the field of political science
and Of tho attempts he had made "to
put into the words of learning the
thought of a nation, tho attitude Of A
people oward public affairs" He con-
tinued:
"A great many Of my colleagues in
American university life got their train
ing, even In political science, as so
many men in civil circles did, In Ger
NlAhh ~ l. wv bNShA IRE -
at various times to read a great deal
| of bad German, difficult German, awk-
ward German. and / have been aware
that the thought was az awkward as
the phrase, that the thought was rooted
in a Fundamental misconception OF the
state and OF the political life OF peoples.
And II has been a portion of my effort
to disenGage the thought of American
university teachers from the misguided
instruction which they had received on
this side Of the sea. Their Ameri-
can spirit anticipated most OF them, as
a matter Of course, blu the form OF
the thought sometimes misled them.
They speak too often of the state as a
thing which would ignore the indi-
viduhl as a thing which was privileged
to dominate the fortune of men by a
sort OF imprint and sacred authority,
Now, as an utter democrat, ! have
never been able to accept that view OF
the state. Ny view of the state Is
that 1t must stop and listen to whal
] have to say, no matter how humble
| am, and that each man has ther right
to have his voice heard and his counseI
needed, insofar as 1t Is worthy OF him
IL have always been among those
who belive that the greatest freedom
OF speech was the greatest safety, be-
cause IL a man Is a fool hhe best thing
to do Ia to encourage him to advertise
the fact by speaking. 1t cannot be &C
easily discovered IL o allow him tc
remain silent and look wise, but II yor
let him speak, the secret is ont ano
the world knows he is a fool.
so it is by the exposure OF folly
that It is defeated; not by the seclu-
sion of folly, and in this free exercise
of free speech men get into that sor'
Of communication with one another
which constitutes the basis Of all com
Nor achievement.
''France, through many Vicissitude:
and through many bitter experiences
found the way to this sort of freedom
and now she stands at the front of thu
world as the representative of constitu'
tiOnal liberty"