The Sacred Fire (act V, Scene 1)

(Woodrow Wilson in his White House Office.)

Woodrow Wilson: Alas, a world war has begun with all its atrocities. I want my country to stay out of the war. To me, war is undivine and inhuman; therefore, it is beneath my dignity to fight. I have urged my nation not to enter into the vortex of war. We have had enough of war. What we need and what we shall always need is peace. (He glances at the morning news and is horrified.) I can't believe my eyes! German submarines have sunk our ships! I wanted to remain out of the war. Now I see that this can never be. Fight we must to defend our country. But I shall tell my country and the world that, for America, this will be a war to end all war.