The Prescott daily news., 1915-07-26
\ ational Defense Conference Plans
 Now Under Way
Under Auspices National De- fense League-Great Gather ing of Citizens from Every State in the Union.

Washington, D. C., July 26.-Plans for the Conference on National De- fense, to be held here under auspices of the National Defense League. De- tober Al, immediately following the Grand Army of the Republic Encamp- ment, are under full headway. Many thousands of the veterans who attend the G. A. R. Encampment will remain in Washington for the sessions of the Conference on National Defense, which will be presided over by Repre- sentative Julius Kahn, of Cal, chair man, and U. s. Senator Robert E. Broussard, of La, vice chairman, of the National Defense League.
 While the conference will be held under auspics of the National Defense League it will not be convention of the League, but great gathering of representative citizens from every state in the Union, who will consider what measure must be taken by Con- gress and the States to increase the Navy, Army, National Guard and coast defense-to put the country in a military and naval position where it will be able to maintain its dignity and security throughout the world.
 The National Defense Conference is unique in that all citizens of the United States, including readers of this newspaper, are invited to attend the Conference. Any citizen, man or woman, from any section of this coun- try, can attend the Conference as an accredited delegate and participate in the deliberations on National Defense simply by sending his or her address to the National Defense League, Riggs building, Washington, D. C., with notification of his or her inten- tion to take part in the Conference. No other appointment or credentials are necessary to participate in the Conference.
 This will be the first great National gathering of any kind in this country where everybody is invited to attend
 A large number of members of Con- gress, governors of States, members of State legislatures, mayors of cities officers of commercial organizations, editors of American newspapers, vet erans and members of patriotic organ izationS, and hundreds of prominent citizens from every part of the coun- try already have signifed their inten- tion of attending the Conference.
 The program, now being arranged, will last four days, and will include some of the greatest speakers and men of national fame in the country. Many men have accepted invitations to speak at the Conference. The speakers program IS to be announced later. It will include Cabinet officers, governors, senators, representatives and many prominent citizens.
 From the immense amount of mail concerning the Conference now being sent to the National Defense League here it is believed the Conference will be the greatest convention of any kind ever held in the United States. There is a nationwide interest in the Ma tional Defense problem. A statement issued today by the National Defense League said
 After more than two years of per sistent propaganda and large amount of work by the National De- fense League, which was the first and pioneer defense organization, we re- joice that the people have at last walk d up to the necessity for adequate preparation.
 "The Washington Conference will focus the attention of the country on what all patriotic Americans now de- sire Congress to do, to put the country on defense basis, strong enough to protect our Republic, our citizens, our ocean commerce, worldwide inter- ests, and the honor of our flag. We are not in such a position now.
 "We must have a larger Navy, a larger Army, a larger National Guard more coast Qualifications, more naval