The Public Record
Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. A member of the Democratic Party, he was born in Virginia and raised in Georgia before moving to New Jersey, where he became a prominent political figure. Wilson was a key leader of the Progressive Movement, advocating for reforms such as antitrust legislation and the establishment of the Federal Reserve System. His presidency is also noted for significant events such as the United States' involvement in World War I and his efforts to promote the League of Nations, an international organization aimed at preventing future conflicts.
How everybody at home is proud of you; how everybody at home has followed every movement of this great Army with confidence and affection; and how the whole people of the United States are now waiting to welcome you home with an acclaim…
A thrill has gone through my heart, as it has gone through the heart of every American, with almost every gun that was fired and every stroke that was struck in the gallant fighting that you have done; and there has been only one regret in…
The triumph of freedom in this war means that spirits of that sort now dominate the world.
The task of those who are gathered here, or will presently be gathered here, to make the settlements of this peace is greatly simplified by the fact that they are masters of no one; they are the servants of mankind.
My conception of the league of nations is just this, that it shall operate as the organized moral force of men throughout the world.
Now at last the spirit of truth, the spirit to which universities have devoted themselves, has prevailed and is triumphant.
The university spirit is intolerant of all the things that put the human mind under restraint.
If we do not heed the mandates of mankind we shall make ourselves the most conspicuous and deserved failures in the history of the world.
If the central powers had dared to discuss the purposes of this war for a single fortnight, it never would have happened.
What we all thank God for with deepest gratitude is that our men went in force into the line of battle just at the critical moment when the whole fate of the world seemed to hang in the balance.
The least tribute we can pay them is to make them the equals of men in political rights as they have proved themselves their equals in every field of practical work they have entered.
The old policy may be changed much or little, but surely it cannot wisely be left as it was.
A new day shines about us, in which our hearts take new courage and look forward with new hope to new and greater duties.
Our gallant armies have participated in a triumph which is not marred or stained by any purpose of selfish aggression.
While we render thanks for these things, let us not forget to seek the Divine guidance in the performance of those duties, and divine mercy and forgiveness for all errors of act or purpose.
Complete victory has brought us, not peace alone, but the confident promise of a new day as well in which justice shall replace force and jealous intrigue among the nations.
and pray that in all that we do we shall strengthen the ties of friendship and mutual respect upon which we must assist to build the new structure of peace and good will among the nations.
We have cause for such rejoicing as revives and strengthens in us all the best traditions of our national history.
Politicians like Woodrow Wilson
