Evening star., 1924-02-23

is voice to accept the responslollltie
nd continue the sacrifices necessaI
o make enduring the institution
which Washington founded.
While describing the part played b
;eorge Washington in the founding {
he American republic, he declared tha
e accomplished the results by "at
epting great responsibilities and mai
ng sacrifices"
This address. which was the secon
ne made by Mr.. Coolidge over tn
ado, was at the invitation of the II
Rotary Clubs, members I
'hich recently asked the President
oliver an address yesterday on ann
ersary of the founding OF Rotarianisn
Text of Speech.
The speech, in full, follows:
Each year the birthday of
George Washington gains wider
acceptance as being of more than
national significance. He becomes
moro and more a world figure, a
mighty influence reaching into all
lands and recognized by ali pco-
Piles. He is as universal as the
truth. The great place which he
holds in history grows more clear
as VIC are dDIe tp llIIH
with all others who have set their
stamp upon the affairs of man
kind.
This position began to be appre-
ciated even before his death. When
Talieyrand, foreign minister of
Napoleon, reported that our first
President was gone, he was led
by his admiration to compose a
eulogy. In it he dwelt upon those
m 1ifinS nf inc tn
which have become more and more
appreciated, and upon his exalted
character. In recommending that
a statue be raised to his memory in
one of the great squares of Paris,
he declared:
1.-THE man who, amid the deca-
dence in modern ages, first dared
to believe that he could inspire
degenerate nations with courage
to rise to the level of republican
virtues. lived for all nations and
for all centuries.
Hero for All Peoples.
er OF Washington is realized when
IT is remembered that even from
Talleyrand his passing inspired
such d tribute, accompanied by the
suggestion of memorial 20 the
first citizen of n country which
was at. that very time preparing
for what appeared to be an immi-
nent conflict with France. The
character of Washington raised
him even above national enmities.
1t made him a hero that all peo-
pies were compelled to honor.
in far-off lands people are observ-
ing this day by taking thought of
the qualities that gave Washing
ton this foremost place among the
truly great. They are drawn to
this man by his calm and clear
judgment, by his abounding cour-
age and by his unselfish devotion.
Beyond that which was ever ac-
corded to any other mortal. he
holds rank as A soldier. a states
man and a patriot. Others may
have eAcelled him in some of these
qualities, but no one ever excelled
him in this threefold greatness.
Yet, Washington, the man, seems
TO stand above them all. After
we have recounted all his victories,
after we have examined his rec
ord in public Office, after we have
recalled that he refused to be made
a king, We have not exhausted his
greatness. We can best estimate
him by not Identifying him with
some high place, but by thinking
him as one of ourselves. When all
detailed description fails. it is
enough TO say he was a great man.
He had a supreme endowment of
character.
Ideals for World.
mo one can think of America
without thinking of Washington
When we look back over the
course of history before his day it
seems as though ii had all been
a preparation for him and his time
When We consider events since
then We can see a steady growth
and development of the ideals
which he represented and the in
stitutions which he founded. world
wide in extent. The principles
which he fought to establish nave
become axioms of civilization. 1t
might almost be said that the prog
ress which peoples have made is
measured by the degree with
which they have accepted the
great policies which he represent
ed.
1T is not possible to compress
a great life into q single sentence.
We look upon Washington as the
exponent of the rights of man.
We think of him as having estab-
lished the independence of Amer
lea. We associate his name with
liberty and freedom. We say that
he was a great influence in the
adoption of the Constitution of the
United States. All these are cen
tered around the principle of self
government But when we exam
Inc the meaning of independence,
self-government We do not find
that they are simple rights which
society can bestow upon us. They
are very complex. They have to
be earned. They have to be paid
for. They arise only from the dis
charge of our obligations one to
another. Washington did not,
could not, give anything to his
countrymen. His greatness lies
in the fact that he was successful
in calling them to the performance
of d higher duty. He showed them
how to have a greater liberty by
earning it. All that any society
can do, all that any government
can do. is to attempt to guarantee
to the individual the social, eco
nomic and political rewards of his
own effort and industry. The
America which Washington found
everything done for us. but that
we shall have every opportunity
to do every thing for ourselves.
This is liberty, but 1t is liberty
only through the acceptance of re-
sponsibility.
Built ON Sacrifice.
1T cannot fail to be worth while
to recall some of the activities of
Washington and the men of his
day. They were without indie
pendence. They went through the
hardship of seven terrible years of
war that it might be secured.
They were without a national gov
ernment. They went through the
toll and expense, the misgivings
and sacrifices of years of political
agitation that it might finally be
established. They were without
industry, without commerce, with
out transportation and without
shipping. But by their enterprise,
their effort their inventive genius
and their courage. these were
created. These efforts and their
experiences'sw should keep con-
stantly IN. mind. Before we COM
plain too much about our hard
ships in these luxurious days, be-
fore we lose faith in the power of
the people by relying on them
selves best to serve themselves, it
is, we'll to consider the early be-
ginnings of this republic.