The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-28
Redfield Speaks

The conference programme, which had included a review of the Atlantic fleet and parade of the Massachusetts militia
 had aroused interest in today's session.
 The sessions were removed to a spacious
 hall and big audience followed the ad-
 dresses.
 Secretary of Commerce Redfield speak
 ing, not in behalf of the administration
 but as a member of it. he said, urged
 restraint of speech and soberness of
 thought in what he termed these trying
 times.
 With that spirit of restraint" he said,
 should we not be ready for any emer-
 gency of any kind that may arise? Should
 We not at least have the tools ready
 not for offense, but for the defense of
 our ration?"
 Governor Fielder of New Jersey urged
 an increase in the standing army by al
 least 25,000 men with an adequate line
 Of trained reservists. He said he felt
 the states should be ready at all tmes
 to furnish 250.000 men to this reserve body.
 Cordial agreement with Governor Field
 CTS statements was expressed by Gover
 nor Dunne of Illinois, who said he fell the nations main reliance for aNreservs force might well be found in require
 ment that every college and university re ceiving funds, federal or state, shoult give four years of military training [, it's students.
 If war were declared on the United States by Hfiy Uf the principal European nations tomorrow 1t must be admitted
 our situation would be precarious one. he said. Governor Dunne said that '.an,
 Great Britain or German fleet could talk, possession or destroy all means of ma n ufacturing ammunition in the United States such plants being almost entirel1 within 150 miles of New York city'' National Defense Board Advocated Governor Hammond of Minnesota, em phasizing what he said was the fact tha this country had spent hundreds of mil lions more dollars for it's army and nav, than any other nation in the world, rec commended the creation of some boar, which would be able thoroughly to in form Congress of the needs for nationa defense. He said he was not so pessi
 mistic as some on the subject of unpre paredness, holding a suspicion that |
 reed arose we would find these battle ships of ours giving very good accoun of themselves" It was his opinion tha the nation must depend largely on tn, patriotism of it's people for defense, an,
 ''the men would not stand for compu sory military service and the nation can not afford to hire it's soldiers Governor Goldsborough of Maryland ex pressed the belief that an extension O mea sures of defense was necessary. Governor Trammel of Florida felt tha dependence was to be placed in the cit izen soldlery and was applauded whef he added If the European war lasts tv years more, as seems likely, there vii not be a first-class army or navy in tn, W orld except our own
 Adequate preparedness was urged b, Governor Stuart of Virginia, while iron Governor Walsh of Massachusetts cam, the suggestion that state or federal pro vision be made for bringing into tn, schools encouragement and opportunt, for the boys of the land to develop al citizen soldiers.
 A new note was struck by Francis F. McGovern, former governor of Wis consin. We have been mentally chloro formed" he exclaimed, ''by this inter
 national propaganda for peace, as it ha been advanced in America. Our peopi have been overpersuaded by this move ment which had dubbed the officers o cur state militia tin soldiers and hal removed the incentive from officer an,
 men. believe there is as little danger t, the nation today as a any time in scor of years. Nevertheless we can never b. secure unless we put the country in state of real preparedness. such as it vast interests demand"
 The conference during the forenoon con sidered '.Conservation of Mankind ant Natural Resources as discussed by Johi A. Dix former governor of New York and by Gov. Ernest c. Lister of Wash Tn Uton