The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1915-12-16

peace lnHuenCG-"aNSo iWO laiNes
Columbus, o., Dec. 13.-Prepared-
ness by business men to mobilize
the resources of the nation as a
measure of national defense was
urged by President Wilson here on
Friday in a ringing address be-
fore the Columbus Chamber of Com
merce. His words were given added
significance by the disputes pending
between the United States and Austria
and Germany.
The president declared that If the
United States preserves its self-pos-
session in the present crisis 1t will
have great influence m reconstruct1ng
the peaceful course of the world and
in bringing the nations together again.
The presidents address was ap-
plauded by nonpartisan audience OF
1,100, including many of the leading
officials and business men of Ohio.
While he had not written it out in ad-
vance, he had thought it over careful
ly. His theme was the Statesman
ship of Industry" The president told
the business men that it was impossi-
BILE to separate business and life. The
history of busin 1ss in the United
States, he said, vas tied up with the
history of the nation.
Need of ships to carry the commerce
of the nation was emphasized. Since
the War of 1912, he declared, the Uni
ted States has purposely attended
first to internal affairs. Some business
men, he declared, sought foreign
trade, but many disregarded it.
The banking and currency law
passed during the present administra-
ton was lauded by the president as a
great aid to foreign commerce. Until
it was passed there were hardly any
foreign branches of American banks.
He criticized the policy of protec-
ton. Business, he declared, should be
efficient, but it should not be organized
in order to secure monopolies.
He opposed the injection of politics
into business. He described himself as
a militant Democrat" and added that
the Democratic party wanted to help
business.
Repeating the idea expressed in his
last message to congress, the presi-
dent said that he believed in liberty OF
all peoples. He declared aggressively
that as long as he was president Mex
leo would be allowed to choose its own
government.
The European war, he declared, had
put the United States in a new rela-
tion to the world. This nation will
have to be the reserve force Of the
world, he asserted.
His message to the value OF the
church as a force to save society was
given by President Woodrow Wilson
in his address at the closing session
of the Conference on Church and
Country Life when he spoke to more
than four thousand people who
packed the great Memorial hall here.
After his address, which was applaud
ed repeatedly, the president left for
| Washington.
1t was his second address of the
day, the first being one to business
men at a MONDAY luncheon. In addi-
tion, he met 5000 Ohioans at an after,
noon reception in the Ohio capital
The audience at both meetings
cheered the president.
Enact a law" the president said
that does not reflect the moral judg
ment of the community, that is the
moral judgment only of small minor
ity, and the people will not understand
it. Law is only a record of achieve
ment. Christianity is the only force
that can transform life"
His tribute to the church as the or
ganized instrument of Christianity had
been given earlier in his address
when he declared that while Christian
ity might save the soul of the individual
to himself, it was only the church
that might save society.