The Washington times., 1915-10-06
Details Given at National De.
tense Conference at New
Willard.
SAY SCIENCE NEEDED IN WAR
Prof. Llbbey, Of Princeton, De!
cIares America Not a ma.
ton Of Rlflemen."

The popular fallacy that America Is
a nation Of rinemen was punctured by
Prof. william Libey. or princeton.
president Of the National Rife Associa-
tion, in an address urging preparedness
before the National Defense Confer
ence at the New willard Hotel today.
Prof. Libey, who Is not only tho head
Of the largest and most important or
sanization of rifiemen In the country.
but a colonel and inspector general In
the New Jersey National Guard. de-
clared likewise that America never had
been n nation Of rifemen. according to
modern standards In the days OF
Bunker HILL he said. the riheman was
an expert with the ancient weapon.
But he would never be able 20 quarry
today because the weapons OF war are
scientific instruments that require scien-
'TI The ""%il Delegates to tho defense confer
enoe met this morning after visit to
the naval gun factory.
CONGRESSMAN Thomas 5; craso OF
Pennsylvania introduced Prof. Libbey
as the first speaker.
He Likes Swiss Plan.
Prof. Libbey said rinemen mean pro-
lection. The Swiss method Of training
has had much to do with the preserva-
ton Of the neutrality Of Switzerland.
he declared. The Swiss are rihcmen:
and each can take care OF himself and
Of as many Of the enemy as he has
cartridges In his rife belt.
Judge James II. Blount, Of Georgia.
the next speaker. was introduced as
former volunteer soldier. who was now
devoting himself to the practice OF law.
War with Spain and In the Philippine
Insurrection. and later was Judge or
the court OF first instance In the Phil
lipine Islands for a number Of years.
British Cotton Order Censured.
Passing briefly over Germany's viola
ton of American rights on the high
seas. he devoted himself principally TO
demonstrating that the recent British
order in council making cotton contra
band Is violation OF American rights as
neutrals and equivalent to the confisca-
tion Of a large part OF the American cot
ton crop. by making Il unstable to
Germany and Austria Hungary.
He declared that he took his views
on neutrality from Thomas Jefferson
and his ideas on preparedness Tor war
mot from the amiable nonsense OF Mr..
Roosevelt" but from George Washing
what we ought TO do at once Is
to say TO England: Strike cotton from
your list OF contraband and put It back
on your free list. or you don't get any
more munitions
Then we ought to set our house in
order There msv be such a thing as be-
ing too proud to hGht' but there Is also
such n thing. sometimes. as being toe
, proud not to fight. II the President
were to ask me I would tell him this
and then I would conclude by calling
his attention to the following para
graph from President Washington
NTH annual address to Congress-:
There Is . rank due the United
States among nations which will ht
withheld. II not absolutely lost by the
reputation Of weakness. II we desire
to avoid insult we must he able Il
repel It. II we desire to secure peace
one Of the most powerful Instruments
of our rising prosperity. It must be
known that we are at all times read,
for war"
Reserves Plan Outlined.
Tho third speaker on the program was
James s. Holmes. commander Of the