“THE NEW FREEDOM.”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 80, 11 April 1913, Page 4

“THE NEW FREEDOM.”

“The meaning of liberty lias deepened,” writes Dr. Woodrow Wilson, the

new President of the United States, in a hook just published by him entitled “The New Freedom.” “But it has not ceased to he a fundamental demand of the human spirit, a fundamental necessity for the life of the soul. And the day is at hand when it shall be realised on this consecrated soil—a New Freedom —a liberty widened and deepened to match the broadened life of man in modern America, restoring to him in very truth the control of his Government, throwing wide all gates of lawful enterprise, unfettering his energies and warming the generous impulses of his heart

—a process of release, emancipation, and inspiration, full of a breath of life as sweet and wholesome as the airs that filled the sails of the caravels of Columbus and gave the promise and boast of magnificent opportunity in which America dare not fail.” Dr. Wilson has brought back vision to American politics, and the new spirit which lie represents is not found'only in the United States. The problems in which the whole world is interested find in him a champion with a fine breadth of view, an honest and simple humanity and a practical philosophy. “Where there is no vision the people perish,” might well be the motto with which he sets out on his crusade to do Ids share in the creation of the New America. The government of the United States, if Dr. Wilson has his way, is to go back to first principles. Rule has to he taken from the hands of the few monopolists, brought into lino with the wishes of the people and impregnated with the true principles of democracy which T the “boss” has salted down. The swollen tariffs are to bo reduced and their operations regulated so as to he equal all round. The wrong and prejudiced jury is to he dismissed. The grip of the Trust octopus is to bo thrown off. America is to renew its youth, not by patronage of the aristocrats, hut by freedom to venture and to achieve,' and from the real source of all national strength—“up from the soil, up from the silent bosom of the earth, from which rise the currents of life and energy.” No longer is America to bo governed by people not invited to govern it, by secret private purposes and interests. “You know how it thrills our blood sometimes,” declares, Dr. Wilson, “to 'think how all the nations of the-earth, wait to ~sec what America is going to do with her' power, her physical power, her enormous resources, her enormous wealth. The nations hold their breath to see what this young country will do with her young unspoiled strength.” “I do not believe,” says Dr. Wilson in conclusion, “that America is securely great because she has great men in her now. America is great in proportion as she can make sure of having, great men in the next generation. She is rich in her unborn children; rich, that is to say, if those unborn children see the sun in a day of opportunity, see the sun when they are free to exercise their energies as they will. If they open their eyes in a land where there is no special privilege, then we shall com© into a new era of American greatness and American liberty.”