The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-10-13
PREPARE TO DEFEND
SPIRIT OF AMERICA IS FOR
PEACE AND INDEPENDENCE
NAVAL BOARD CONVENES

President Wilson Makes Address to
the Men Who are to Assist e. S.
Navy in Developing Ideas-Secre-
tary Daniels Outlines Plans to
Them.
President Wilson received Secre-
tary Daniels and the new naval ad-
visory board at the White House
Wednesday and told them the spirit
Of this country is for peace, but that
the nation must command the respect
OF the world.
ssI think the whole nation is con.
vinced that we ought to be prepared
not for war but for defense" the
president said, "anG very adequately
prepared, and that the preparation
for defense is not merely technica:
matter; it is not matter that the
army and navy alone can take care
Of, but a matter in which we must
have the cooperation of the best
, brains and knowledge of the coun-
try, outside the official service OF
the government as well as inside.
"For my part, I feel that it is only
in the spirit of a true democracy
that we> get together to lend eacl
other voluntary aid, the sort Of aid
that comes from interest, from e
knowledge Of the varied circum-
stances that are involved in handling
a nation.
81 want you to feel, those of you
who are coming to the assistance OF
the professional officers of the gov.
eminent, that we have vcry serious
purpose; that we have not asked you
to associate yourself with US except
for a very definite and practical pur-
pose. to get you to give US your bes:
independent thought as to how We
ought to make ready for any duty
that may fall upon the nation.
.I do not have to expouEd it tc
. you; you know as well as do the
scirit OF America. The spirit OF
America Is one OF peace, but one OF
independence.
'tIt is a spirit that is profoundly
concerned with peace, because it car
express itself best only in peace. Il
is the spirit Of peace and good viii,
and Of human freedom; but it is also
the spirit Of nation that is self.
conscious; that knows and loves its
mission IN the world, and that knows
that it must command the respect OF
the world.
so It seems to me that we are Lot
working as those who would change
anything in America, but only as
those who would safeguard every
thing fn America. I know that you
will enter into conference with the
officers Of the navy in that spirit and
with that feeling, and it makes me
proud, gentlemen, that the busy mer
Of America, the men who stand at the
front Of their professions, should be
willing in this way to associate
themselves voluntarily with the gov
ernment in the task in which it needs
all sorts Of expert and serious advice
Nothing ought to be done IN this
country by any single group OF per
sons-everything ought TO be done
by all Of US united together-and
welcome this association in the most
serious and grateful spirit.
The presidents brief address:
which greatly pleased the advocates
of a large army and navy, was ad-
dressed to Thomas A. Edison, chair
man OF the Naval Advisory Board,
and W. r. Whitney, E. H. Baekeland
Frank Julian Sprague, Benjamin G.
Lamme, r. S. Woodward, Arthur
Gordon Webster, A. n. Hunt, Alfred
Craven, Spencer Miller, William
Leroy Smmett, Matthew B. Sellers,
Hudson Maxim, Peter Cooper Hewitt:
Thomas Robbins, Howard E. Coffin
Andrew J. Riker, Henry A. Wise
Wood, Elmer A. Sperry, William L
Saunders, Benjamin B: Thayer, J. W.
Richards and Lawrence Addicks.
They had called on Secretary Dan
iels at his office before going to the
White House. Mr.. Daniels welcomed
the members Of the board and trlec
to impress upon them the Importance
of their service to the nation.
He reminded the scientists and in.
sentors that the old order Of naval
things is passing away and that "olo
theories are crumbling daily into
dust He explained why he had
called the members Of the board, whe
viii receive no pay, to aid him il
: formulating a plan to uphold the
navy.
After consultation with the heads
of the bureaus charged with ord.
nance, engineering and construction
a tentative plan has been thought
out by which the experts in the navy
and the civilian members Of this
board may work together to secure
the desired results" said Secretary
Daniels. ''Of course, we have not
+ presumed to ask you gentlemen tc
take the laboring oar or to devote
your time to the work that the navy
itself should do. Mr.. Edison has hap
PLY said that the naval experts COM
pose the attending physicians, while
the members Of the board are the
consulting physicians. In the depart
ment we must 90 the bulk of work,
form clearing house for ideas and
suggestions, and call upon you gen.
tlemen to aid in two ways:
81. To give your expert advice
when called upon in the big prob
lens that the navy is always trying
to solve.
''2. To initiate suggestions
which will add to the efficiency Of
any unit Of the navy.
ITO give counsel, to use your ini-
tiatiye and resource, embraces the
full range Of service which can be
desired. It is for you and for our ex-
perts to determine the channels into
which your efforts will flow, so that
working together, the best results
can be accomplished.
''As preliminary to the big things
We must discuss, permit me to touch
upon two, which I trust will have
your consideration at this first meet
ing:
ga. Some days ago wrote to
each member of the board on wheth-