Woodrow Wilson, Message to Congress, 63rd Cong., 2d
Sess., Senate Doc. No. 566 (Washington, 1914), pp. 3-4.
The
effect of the war upon the United States will depend upon what American
citizens say and do. Every man who really loves America will act and speak in
the true spirit of neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness
and friendliness to all concerned. The spirit of the nation in this critical
matter will be determined largely by what individuals and society and those
gathered in public meetings do and say, upon what newspapers and magazines
contain, upon what ministers utter in their pulpits, and men proclaim as their
opinions upon the street.
The
people of the United States are drawn from many nations, and chiefly from the
nations now at war. It is natural and inevitable that there should be the utmost
variety of sympathy and desire among them with regard to the issues and
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, responsibility for no less a thing than that the people of the
United States, whose love of their country and whose loyalty to its government
should unite them as Americans all, bound in honor and affection to think first
of her and her interests, may be divided in camps of hostile opinion, hot
against each other, involved in the 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 the proper performance of our duty as the one great nation
at peace, the one people holding itself ready to play a part of impartial
mediation and speak the counsels of peace and accommodation, not as a partisan,
but as a friend.
I
venture, therefore, my fellow countrymen, to speak a solemn word of warning to
you against that deepest, most subtle, most essential breach of neutrality
which may spring out of partisanship, out of passionately taking sides. The
United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days
that are to try men's souls. We must be impartial in thought, as well as
action, must put a curb upon our sentiments, as well as upon every transaction
that might be construed as a preference of one party to the struggle before
another.
My
thought is of America. I am speaking, I feel sure, the earnest wish and purpose
of every thoughtful American that this great country of ours, which is, of
course, the first in our thoughts and in our hearts, should show herself in
this time of peculiar trial a Nation fit beyond others to exhibit the fine
poise of undisturbed judgment, the dignity of self-control, the efficiency of
dispassionate action; a Nation that neither sits in judgment upon others nor is
disturbed in her own counsels and which keeps herself fit and free to do what
is honest and disinterested and truly serviceable for the peace of the world.
Shall
we not resolve to put upon ourselves the restraints which will bring to our
people the happiness and the great and lasting influence for peace we covet for
them?