I am thinking how their lives much more than ours touch the very heart and stuff of the business, whereas we have rolling between us and those bitter days across the water 3, 000 miles of cool and silent ocean. The times behind us, gentlemen, have been difficult enough the times before us are likely to be more difficult still, because, whatever may be said about the present condition of the world's affairs, it is clear that they are drawing rapidly to a climax, and at the climax the test will come, not only for the nations engaged in the present colossal struggle-it will come to them, of course-but the test will come for us particularly.ĭo you realize that, roughly speaking, we are the only great Nation at present disengaged? I am not speaking, of course, with disparagement of the greatness of those nations in Europe which are not parties to the present war, but I am thinking of their close neighborhood to it. I want to talk to you as to my fellow citizens of the United States, for there are serious things which as fellow citizens we ought to consider. I do not think of you as men of different parties or of different racial derivations or of different religious denominations. I do not think of you, however, as members of the Associated Press. It is, therefore, of very serious things that I think as I face this body of men. You deal in the raw material of opinion and, if my convictions have any validity, opinion ultimately governs the world. I know the enormous part that you play in the affairs not only of this country but of the world. For I take the Associated Press very seriously. I have come here to-day, of course, somewhat restrained by a sense of responsibility which I can not escape. There have been times when I stood in this spot and said what I really thought, and I can not help praying that those days of indulgence may be accorded me again. It makes me look back with a touch of regret to former occasions when I have stood in this place and enjoyed a greater liberty than is granted me to-day. President, Gentlemen of the Associated Press, Ladies, and Gentlemen: I am deeply gratified by the generous reception you have accorded me.

America is not the heart