Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-11-16
Woodrow Wilson Speaks.

From his study, Woodrow Wilson, by
radio, last Saturday night addressed the
American people for the first time since
he left the White House. Speaking on
The Significance of Armistince Day." the
President declared that the attitude of the
United States after the world war must
always be source of deep modification
to u.s."
Deeply ignoble because manifestly dis
honorable" were the words used by the
wartime President in giving his opinion
of 1.-The sullen and selfish isolation" of the
United States with respect to international
affairs.
France and Italy, Mr.. Wilson also de-
clared, have made waste paper of the
treaty of Versailles"
The 5OO-word address, which was heard
by millions of persons in every part of the
country, follows:
THE anniversary of Armistice Day
should stir us to a great exaltation of
spirit, because of the proud recollection
that it was our precept and example which
had, by those early days of that never-to-
be-foreotten November. lifted the nations
of the world to the lofty levels of vision
and achievement upon which the great war
for democracy and right was fought and
won; although the stimulating memories
of that happy time of triumph are forever
marred and embittered for us by the
shameful fact that when the victory was
won, chiefly by the indomitable spirit
and ungrudeing sacrifice of our incompar-
able soldiers. we turned our backs on our
associates; refused to bear any RESPONSE
BILE part in the administration of peace or
the firm and permanent establishment of
the results won by the war at so fearful a
cost of life and treasure and withdrew
into sulien and selfish isolation which is
deeply ignoble because manifestly dis
honorable
This must always be a source of deep
modification to us, and we shall newt
ably be forced by the moral obligation of
freedom and honor to retrieve that fatal
error and assume once more the role of
courage, self-respect, and helpfulness which
every true American must wish to regard
as our natural part in the affairs of the
world That we should thus have done a
great wrong to civilization at one of the
most critical turning points in the history
of the world is the more to be deplored
because every anxious year that has fol.
lowed has made the exceeding need fol
such services as we might have rendered
more and more evident and more and more
pressing as demonstrating circumstances
which we might have controlled have don't
from bad to worse.
And now. as if to furnish a sort o.
sinister climax. France and Italy, between
them, have made waste paper Of the treaty
of Versailles and the whole field of inter
national relationship is in perilous con
fusion.
THE affairs of the world can be Sc
straight only by the firmest and most de
termined exhibition of the will to lead anC
make the right prevail. Happily the pres
ent situation in the world affairs afford
us the opportunity to retrieve the pas
and to render mankind the inestimablt
service of proving that there is at leas
one great and powerful nation which Cal
turn away from programs of self-interes
and devote itself to practicing and estab
fishing the highest ideals of disinterestet
service and the consistent maintenance o
exalted standards of conscience and o
right.
THE only way in which we can worth
lily give proof of our appreciation of thu
high significance of Armistice Day is by
resolving to put self-interest away and
once more formulate and act upor
the highest ideals and purposes of inter
national policy. Thus, and only thus. car
we return to the true traditions of America.