OCR Text |
Show mi I Iff I IRFRTY America Says President Wilson, Wil-son, WilltDo Its Full Part for Humanity. WASHINGTON, May 30. America's response to the call of liberty in the strugglo of the world will hold the attention at-tention of all mankind, President Wilson Wil-son said today in a Momorlal day address ad-dress at Arlington national cemotery. In observing the day, ho said, the natural nat-ural touch of sorrow is tinged with reassurance, re-assurance, because, knowing how tho roen of America have responded tp tho call of liberty, there Is perfect assurance assur-ance that the new response "will como again in equal measure, with equal majesty." The president spoke in tho natural amphitheatre in tho cemetery at a meeting arranged by the local Grand Army of the Republic and attended by a crowd of thousands. He said he did not pity the men in whose honor the ceremonies were held. "I envy them, rather," he went on, "because theirs is a great work for liberty accomplished, and we aro In the midst of a work unfinished, testing test-ing our strength where their strength has already been tested. The time for action has come, and in the providence provi-dence of God America will como once more to have an opportunity to show to the world that she was born to serve mankind. Speaks From the Heart. "The program has conferred an unmerited un-merited dignity upon the remarks I am going to make by calling them an address, because I am not here to deliver de-liver an address," the president said. "I am here merely to show, in my official of-ficial capacity, the sympathy of this great government with the object of this occasion and also to speak just a word of the sentiment that is in my own heart. "Any Memorial day of this sort, is, of course, a day touched with sorrowful sorrow-ful memory, and yet I for one do not see how wo can have any thought of pity for the men whose memory we honor today. I do not pity them. I envy them, rather, because theirs is a great work for liberty accomplished and Ave are in the midst of a work unfinished, un-finished, testing our strength where their strength has already been tested. There is a touch of sorrow, but thero Is a touch of reassurance also in a day like this, because we know how the men of America have responded to the call of tho cause of liberty, and it fills our mind with a perfect assurance that that response will como again in equal measure, with equal majesty and with a result which will hold the attention of all mankind. Vhy They Died. "When you reflect upon it those men who died to preserve the Union died to preserve the instrument which we are now using to serve tho world a free nation espousing the cauhe of human hu-man liberty. In one sense the great struggle into which we havo now entered en-tered is an American strugglo because it is in the sense of American honor and American rights, but it Is something some-thing even greater than that; it is a world struggle. It Is a struggle of men who love liberty everywhere and In this cause America will show herself her-self greater than ever because she will risf tn :i crrpntfr fhinf Wo h?va cnM in the beginning that we planned this great government that men who wish freedom might have a place of refuge and a place where their hope could be realized, and now, having established such a government, having preserved such a government, having vindicated the power of such a government, we are saying to all mankind, 'We did not set this government up in order that we might have a selfish and separate sepa-rate liberty, for we are now ready to come to your assistance and fight out upon the fields of tho world the cause of human liberty.' In this thing America Amer-ica attains her full dignity and the full fruition of her great purpose. "No man can be glad that such things have happened as we have witnessed wit-nessed In these last fateful years, but perhaps it may be permitted to us to bo glad that wo have an opportunity to show the principles that we profess to bo living, principles that live in our hearts, and to have a chance by the pouring out of our blood and treasure to vindicate tho things which wo'have professed. For, my friends, the real fruition of lifo is to do tho things we have said we wished to do. There are times when work seems empty and only action seems great. Such a time has come, and in the providence of God 'America will once more havo an opportunity to show to tho world that she was bora to servo mankind." no |