DOCUMENTS REGARDING THE EUROPEAN WAR - SERIES No.VIII - ITALY'S GREEN BOOK - PRESIDENT WILSON’S APPEAL FOR IMPARTIALITY AND RESTRAINT IN DISCUSSING THE WAR

Oct 13, 2026

A monthly international conciliation publication presents “Italy’s Green Book” within the series “Documents Regarding the European War,” authorized by the Royal Italian Embassy in Washington. Central to the text is President Wilson’s appeal to American citizens during World War tensions, urging strict neutrality in both speech and action. It emphasizes impartiality, restraint against partisanship, and the nation’s readiness to act as a peaceful mediator. The document also lists key personages referenced in the Green Book.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages96

Reading Time4 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

PRESIDENT WILSON’S APPEAL FOR IMPARTIALITY AND RESTRAINT IN DISCUSSING THE WAR

Neutrality in fact and in nameduring the conflict

Impartial speech, public opinion, and responsibility

Warning against partisanship and passion

Self-control and dispassionate action

PERSONAGES REFERRED TO IN THE GREEN BooK

| NTERNATIONAL CONCILIATION
Published monthly by the
American Assoclation for International Conciliation.
Entered as second class matter at New York,N.Y.
Postoffce,February 23,1909,under act of July 16,1894 | | --- | | DOCUMENTS REGARDING THE EUROPEAN WAR
SERIES No.VIII
ITALY'S GREEN BOOK
TRANSLATION APPROVED BY ROYAL ITALIAN
EMBASSY,WASHINGTON,D.C.
R
C3IS
CN RDIA
AUGUST,1915
No.93 | | American Association for International Conciliation
Sub-Station 84(407 West 117th Street)
New York City
1915 | The Executive Committee of the Associationfor International Conciliation wish to arouse theinterest of the American people in the progress ofthe movement for promoting international peaceand relations of comity and good fellowshipbetween nations.To this end they print andcirculate documents giving information as to theprogress or interruption of these movements,inorder that individual citizens,the newspaperpress,and organizations of various kinds may havereadily available accurate information on thesesubjects.A list of publications will be found onpage 95· PRESIDENT WILSON’S APPEAL FORIMPARTIALITY AND RESTRAINT IN DIS-CUSSING THE WAR MY FELLOW-CUUNTRYMEN:I suppose that every thoughtful man inAmerica has asked himself during the last troubled weeks what influencethe European war may exert upon the United States,and I take the libertyof addressing a few words to you in order to point out that it is entirelywithin our own choice what its effects upon us will be and to urge veryearnestly upon you the sort of speech and conduct which will best safe-guard the nation against distress and disaster. The effect of the war upon the United States will depend upon whatAmerican citizens say or do.Every man who really loves America willact and speak in the true spirit of neutrality,which is the spirit of impar-tiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned.The spirit of thenation in this critical matter will be determined largely by what individ-uals and society and those gathered in public meetings do and say,uponwhat newspapers and magazines contain,upon what our ministers utterin their pulpits and men proclaim as their opinions on the streets. The people of the United States are_drawn from many nations,andchiefly from the nations now at war. It is natural and inevitable thatthere should be the utmost variety of sympathy and desire among themwith regard to the issues and circu mstances of the conflict.Some willwish one nation,others another,to succeed in the momentous struggle.It will be easy to excite passion and difficult to allay it.Those respon-sible for exciting it will assume a heavy responsibility;responsibility forno less a thing than that the people of the United States,whose love oftheir country and whose loyalty to its Government should unite themas Americans all,bound in honor and affection to think first of her andher interests,may be divided in camps of hostile opinions,hot againsteach other,involved in the war itself in impulse and opinion,if not inaction.Such diversions among us would be fatal to our peace of mindand might seriously stand in the way of the proper performance of ourduty as the one great nation at peace,the one people holding itself readyto play a part of impartial mediation and speak the counsels of peaceand accommodation,not as a partisan,but as a friend. I venture,therefore,my fellow-countrymen,to speak a solemn word ofwarning to you against that deepest,most subtle,most essential breach ofneutrality which may spring out of partisanship,out of passionately takingsides.The United States must be neutral in fact as well as in nameduring these days that are to try men's souls.We must be impartialin thought as well as in action,must put a curb upon our sentimentsas well as upon every transaction that might be construed as a preferenceof one party to the struggle before another. My thought is of America.I am speakin

FAQs

Why does President Wilson address Americans during the “last troubled weeks”?

He argues that the European war’s effects on the United States depend on what American citizens say or do, and he urges a style of speech and conduct that safeguards the nation from distress and disaster.

What does Wilson mean by “neutrality” for the United States?

Neutrality should be both real and named: impartiality and fairness in thought, and restraint in action and transactions that could be construed as preferring one side.

How does Wilson connect public opinion to the nation’s stance in the war?

He states that the nation’s spirit in this critical matter is largely determined by individuals, society, public meetings, newspapers and magazines, sermons, and what people proclaim on the streets.

Oct 13, 2026

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