| Less
than a year ago the moral leadership
of the world was in our grasp. We
had entered upon the great adventure
to save the world, to make and to
keep it free, to rebuild an order
of life that should be just and righteous
altogether. At the critical hour we
rendered decisive help, taking our
place by the side of England, France,
and Italy as deliverers of the world
from the horrors of Prussianism. The
service was rendered, the sacrifices
were made, and for generations we
shall pay the tolls.
But for moral
leadership of mankind which we have
abdicated for a time, we would and
we shall reclaim. It shall not be
brought to pass but all of these
services and sacrifices are to be
forgotten by Europe and that nothing
will be remembered of America, save
but at the last moment we shrank
from an imperative duty which it
was the part of courage and nobleness
to accept. As Americans, we have
the right to demand that the presidential
election of next November be forgotten
for a moment, and the world's need
of peace and healing be remembered
for more than a moment.
But world
justice be not sacrificed in the
interest of partisan advantage.
Our appeal is to America at its
highest. The America of Washington
and Lincoln, of Roosevelt and Wilson
-- the America of Lexington and
Gettysburg and Chateau-Thierry ---
the America of noblest vision and
faith and great illusion. If the
League of Nations be not helped
by America to come to pass, it is
not President Wilson who will have
been defeated, but America -- not
America, but the world -- not mankind
alone, but mankind's hope of peace
and justice.
The achievements
of the President, his great services,
the unequalled clarity and power
with which he molded and applied
the ideals of America -- all these
things many of my fellow Americans
for a time seem, alas, to forget.
The real difficulty of the situation
has been that the President thinks
straight, that he is an honest man,
that he does not resort to political
subterfuge, that he will not indulge
in political equivocation, and the
President is blamed on these grounds.
When in truth it is because of these
things that he ought to be held
up to the youth of the nation for
honor, and above all for the honor
of emulation.
The President
is not unerring, but his place in
history is secure. He has done great
things and will stand as one of
the mightiest figures of a mighty
epoch. It is not needful or possible
at this time, whilst yet he lives,
to say that Wilson is a Washington
or another Lincoln, but he is a
great American. He is one of the
great presidents of American history.
Let us remember that it is not only
of the dead that it may be said
in the word of [Drinkwater], but
of the living: When the high harp
we magnify, and the sure visions
celebrate, and worship greatness
passing by, ourselves are great.
|
