"TOO PROUD TO FIGHT."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15916, 13 May 1915, Page 8

"TOO PROUD TO FIGHT."

AMERICA'S ATTITUDE.

PRESIDENT WILSON'S VIEW.

(Received M»y 12, 8.5 p.m.)

New York, May 12.

President Wilson, addressing 4000 naturalised Americans at Philadelphia, referred to the loss of the Lusitania. Ho said America must set an example of peace. The reason why she would not fight was because peace exerted a healing influence on the whole world.

There was, said the President, such a thing as a man being too proud to fight, such a thing as being in the right and there being no need to convince by force.

President Wilson pleaded for the welding of the foreign blood that makes up the, American nation, pointing out that the true goal ol citizenship was loyalty to the country adopted.

President Wilson's statement aroused a tumult of enthusiasm. Thousands of small American flags were waved.

After the meeting President Wilson stated that the Lusitania was not in his mind when he made the statement. He had not yet come to a decision on that matter, but was still awaiting the facts. The Daily Chronicle's New York correspondent says the general impression in New York is that President Wilson is determined to maintain neutrality, hoping to wear down national indignation and the demand for revenge by diplomatic delay, until something else absorbs public attention.

Deep resentment has been shown on account of children in German schools being given a half-holiday in celebration of the sinking of the

Lusitania.

American opinion, which has hitherto hesitated to believe accounts of atrocities in Belgium and France, is now convinced of the truth of the reports.