Volume 16 , Issue 27

August 18, 1914 President To the People

According to The Tacoma Times, Tuesday 18 August 1914, there was this following front page headline: President to the People, concerning President Wilson's statement issued regarding the European conflict. See a transcription of statement issued in Summer of 1914 by President Wilson below.

"My fellow countrymen: I suppose every thoughtful man in America has asked himself what influence the European war may exert upon America. I take the liberty of addressing a few words to you and point out that it is entirely within our choice what the effect upon us shall be and urge most earnestly upon you the sort of speech and conduct which will best safeguard the nation against distress and disaster.

"Everyone who really loves America will act and speak with a true spirit of neutrality, which is a spirit of impartiality, fairness and friendliness to all concerned. The spirit of the nation in this critical matter will be determined largely by what individuals and those gathered in public meetings do and say; what newspapers and magazines contain; what ministers utter from the pulpit; what men proclaim as their opinions on the street.

"Our people are drawn from many nations, chiefly from nations now at war. It is natural and inevitable that there should be the utmost variety of sympathy and desire among them in regard to the circumstances of the conflict. Some will wish one nation, others another to succeed in the momentous struggle.

"It will be easy to excite passion and difficult to allay it. Those responsible for exciting it will assume a heavy responsibility. For no less thing than the people of America, whose love for country and loyalty of their government should unite them as Americans all bound in honor and affection to think first of her and her interests, may be divided into camps oaf hostile opinion, hot against each other and involved in war itself in impulse and opinion, if not in action.

"Such divisions amongst us would be fatal to our peace of mind and might seriously stand in the way of proper performance of duty as the one great nation at peace and the one people holding itself ready to play the part of impartial mediation and speak counsels of peace and accommodation, not as partisan but as friend."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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