Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-18
NATIONAL DEFENSE
PRESIDENTS TOPIC
Will Speak Before Manhattan
Club in New York No.
vember 4.
MARYLAND LEAGUE URGES
FOLLOWING CONSTITUTION
Adequate Military Preparation
Urged-Memphis Business Men at
White House.

President Wilson will open his
campaign for his national de-
fense program in speech before
the Manhattan Club in New York
the evening of November 4. 1t
will be the Presidents first public
utterance on the subject since he
approved the plans prepared by
Secretaries Garrison and Daniels,
and the speech is expected to be
Of significance because the Presi-
dent is expected to disclose the
reasons he will present to Con-
gress why the United States
should be more adequately pre-
pared for defense.
President Wilson today received a
strong petition from the Maryland
League for National Defense urging
that he follow the plain terms of the
Constitution Of the United States that
adequate provision be made for the
common defense" Of the people Of the
country.
The petition. presented by H. Findlay
French, secretary. bears the signatures
Of Senator John Walter Smith, Repre-
sentatives Coady and Linthicum, Gov.
Goldsborough and a large number Of
the most prominent men in the state of
all parties.
Without Partisan Issue.
The petition states that tho organi-
zation Is non-partisan; that the ques-
tion Of national defense 10 without
partisan issue, and that the object of
the petition is to inform the President
Of the sentiment Of tho people Of Mary
land. From Baltimore and the counties.
the petition AYERS, men In all walks Of
life. urge the President to" Etyesythe
weight Of his great influence to plac-
ing this country In condition which
shall enable 1t to protect itself xnA
Its citizens from acts Of aggression or
oppression by any foreign power"
While 1t may be true. the statement
says, that there may be no ground for
apprehension. "two at least Of the bel
ligerent nations Of Europe seem to feel
that they have Just cause for complaint
against us, and who can say that when
the present struggle is over, one or the
other may turn against US? Each pos
sesses a navy vastly superior to our
own. each possesses merchant marine
available for use as transports, which
shores in one short month a thoroughly
trained, well equipped. war-seasoned
army of quarter of million men,"
The position points out that the
United States today possesses little ar
tillery Of the field type that has been
SO destructive In Europe, comparatively
few aeroplanes or submarines. not to
speak of deficiencies In many other di-
rections. Yet we have thousands of
miles Of seacoast. bordering on two
A special plea is made for a much
larger force Of trained men. He Is told
that II he called for volunteers mil
lions Of men would respond. but 1t
would take months and years to train
and equip them.
Cities Almost Defenseless.
The almost defenseless condition of the
great city of New York and the "beauti-
way: "And while the necessary training
was going on. what? New York with Its
accumulated wealth and massive build
ings would be laid low by dynamite and
fire, or levied upon for a ransom which
Scarcely less an an objective would be
the beautiful Capital city, Washington,
and for second time would its magnif-
cent buildings and luxurious homes fall
prey to flames at the hands of the in
vader." Baltimore and Maryland would
be equally in danger. The question is
asked whether the fair state of Maryland
shall be made second Belgium, to be
laid waste and depopulated by fire and
sword because, forsooth. some one of lin
tied vision raises a bogy cry of militar-
ism All along the Atlantic and Pacific
seaboards important cities and towns
would be wrecked, and these include 80
per cent Of the plants capable Of supply
ing munitions of war which would be
needed for national defense"
Any intention to foster "militaristic
spirit Is disclaimed.
The President will receive Wednes-
day a delegation from the National
Defense League, which recently met
data giving support to the administra-
tion in its plans for national defense.
Believes Country With Him.
The President has no doubt that the
country is with him in his defense pro-
gram. All his correspondence indi-
Gates this. but he wants to make dou-
bly, sure that the opposition in Con-
gress is SO limited as virtually to
amount to nothing. He also wants to
see the national defense program go
through Congress with a decisiveness
that will be a warning to belligerently
inclined nations throughout the world.
President Wilson will leave for New
Jersey early tomorrow morning to cast
his vote in the special elections in that
state tomorrow. the principal issue be-
ing that of woman's suffrage The
President and Secretary Tumulty, who
win accompany him. both have an
nounced themselves as favoring the
franchise for women in that state. and
will SO cast their votes. The President
will return to Washington tomorrow
night.
The President received a request from
a New Jersey organization asking that
he issue an executive order excusfng
citizens of New Jersey who are in the
federal service in Washington from
their duties. The President declined to
issue such an order. and indicated that
this was a matter for the heads Of de-
partments. 1t has for years been Gus
tomary to excuse voters Of the different
states at the general elections. but they
must lose the time
Receives Memphis Delegation.
The President this afternoon received
delegation of prominent business men
VHI