Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-12
BISHOP URGES i. S.
/ TO FOSTER PEACE
Freeman, in Speech at Wilson
/ Tomb, Cites War Presi-
dents Efforts.

Wilson, in Bethlehem Chapel of the
Washington Cathedral. the Right Rev.
James E. Freeman Bishop of Washing
States to do its part in bringing peace
and order out of the present chaotic
state Of the world.
Bishop Freeman spoke in the Ar
mistice day service sponsored by the
Washington Woodrow Wilson Armistice
Day Committee. The service W.; at
tended by relatives and friends OF the
wartime President, including his
widow.
Bishop Freeman said, in part:
THE late President Wilson did not
claim infallibility Of judgment as his
own and yet as we reflect today upon
his brilliant career, with its eXcelling
qualities of intellect, we see in him the
certain evidences of rare craftsmanship
that gives him permanent place among
the good and the great.
with clear vision he saw the grow
ing need of ties that must bind nation
to nation in a great confederation. He
envisioned a new world order where the
arbitrament of arms should give place
to calm and quiet counsel. He seemed
to see on the horizon new day where,
in truth. the Prince of Peace should be
universally regnant in the hearts OF
men. He strove. when physically i'm
paired, strove even when the chilling
hand Of death was upon his brow, for
that which his comprehending vision
believed was for the lasting good OF all
mankind.
Did Not Heed His Call.
I'VE did not heed his call and he
went to his death declaring, would
rather 60 down TO defeat today for a
cause that will ultimately triumph,
than to triumph today in cause that
will ultimately know defeat Thus
we deal with our chosen leaders. They
rarely command us in life, we come to
appraise their worth only when the
events of the passing years confirm
their Judgment and crown their lives
with the diadem of immortality. Amer
lea pauses again today to consider what
her place is in the slsterhood OF ma
tions. AS we stand here in this sacred
place we do not propose panacea Tor
the ills of a distraught and distracted
world. This is a question for highly
conscientious and far-seeing statesmen
to determine. 1t is ours to affirm that,
a condition confronts us that is ire
sistibly drawing us, even against our
will. into the council chamber where
world affairs are being determined.
Our very economic and industrial
Ills we cannot cure, of and by our
selves. The world has grown too small,
its fellowships too intimate, its contacts
too close for us to think in terms OF
proud isolation. We cannot, even II we
would, have either our mtsfortunes or
our prosperity to ourselves. The vir-
tues and the vices of a people in one
place today become the virtues and the
vices of other and more remote peoples
tomorrow. No nation nveth to itself.
The misfortuneS and disasters of Berlin,
Paris London and Toxic have their re-
percussions in our life, and our values
rise or fall with the markets Of the
world. 1t is becoming increasingly evil
dent now that better standards of judg-
ment and practice are being demanded
today, and that America must, II she
would fulfill what her most far-seeing
statesmen have desired, take her full
part in bringing order and peace out
of the present world chaos. World
ipeace Is as much our concern as that OF
the European powers. America 1or
Americans" may be a popular political
slogan, but in a world such as ours Is
today we cannot abdicate our response
bility by prosecuting with selfish zeal
our own devices, and living independ-
emily and apart from our neighbors.
Excess Of Nationalism PerilOus.
IAN excess of nationalism in interna-
tional affairs Is as perilous to our in
situations as an excess OF selfish in
dividualism In the more intimate con-
Germs of our communal life. That God
has made Of one blood all nations to
dwell together on the face of the whole
earth was declared of old. and the die
tum of the great Master is: Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as myself" His
dream Of a universal brotherhood still
awaits its consummation.
Let US be reminded on this ami
versary that the Great War shattered
forever many of the selfish schemes and
devices that men had set up for their
own advantage. Thrones have been slGr-
rendered and scepters fallen before a
new order that still proceeds with ire
sistible force and power. America
reckons not with these symbols of au-
thority and proud distinction hers. we
believe, is the better way, but she still
has much to learn and much to endure.
Hers is a responsibility and an OPP
portunity today that she dare not re-
fuse to recognize. A new world is in
the making; what shall be our con-
tribution to It? Can we. with our I'M
matched skill rehabilitate our house.
hold while the world about us lies
stagnant and impoverished? Have we
no concern about those beyond our
secure connneS, no sense OF response
bility for the dire ills that Cypress
and destroy the happiness and peace
of other peoples? Shall we secure to
ourselves by an incompatible and i'm
pregnable system of defense the hertz
age that is ours, and in our fancied
security heed not the distress of other
nations?
Such vain conclusions are out of
consonance with the tendencies and
drifts of life today. We are in the
midst of mighty world upheaval, and
it may be that, under God. and by
His divine leading we are to be the
way-preparer for those who can no
longer find the paths that lead to hap
piness and contentment. The worlds
order must be restored, its peace must
be secured, let us with courage to the
task, with renewed zeal, freshened en-
thusiasm and Christian faith"