The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-05
Makes Solemn Declaration That Nation Has No Az gressive Purposes and Calls for Support
VIGOROUS APPLAUSE ACCORDED NATIONS
 CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Says "AlI Europe Is in Bat tie; Force Everywhere Speaks With Loud and ImperiOus Voice.

lmperl0uS NOlce
 New York November 4-~President Will son opened the administration campaign for it's national defense programme in comprehensive and carefully prepared address delivered here tonight at tine Manhattan club banquet. He declared solemny that the United States had no aggressive purposes but must be pre- sume full liberty and self-development Significantly, he said, that with our selves in this great matter we associate all the peoples of our own hemisphere, United States but for them the fullest freedom of independent growth of action.'
 The President was received with en- thusiastic applause as he entered the banquet hall and during his address. The hall was decorated with American flags and filled even to the galleries with democrats happy over their victory of Tuesday In New York city. When the President arose to speak every one got up and applauded until he was forced to signal for quiet.
 European Situation
 Within year" said the President. we have witnessed what we did not think possible great European conflict involving many of the greatest nations of the world The influences of the great war are everywhere in tho air. All Eu- rope is in battle Force everywhere speaks out with q loud and imperious voice in titanic struggle of government. and from one end of our own dear coun- try to the other men are asking one aii- other what our own force is. how fur we are prepared Go maintain ourselves against any interference with our na- tional action or development.
 The President called upon men of all shades of political opinon'' to rally to the support Of the programme He said it represented "the best professional and expert opinion of the country" and gave warning that If men differ with me in this vital matter, l shall ask them to make it clear how far and in what way they are, interested in aking the per- manent interests of the country safe against disturbance"
 There is no need for the country to feel panic stricken. the President de- clared. because 1t stands in friendly relations with the world. He spoke of the United States as "a nation too big and generous to be exacting. but yet courageous enough to defend it's rights and the liberties of it's people wherever assailed or involved"
 Defense Programme
 Outlining the defense programme. the President said 1t included an in- or in, ba sta ,.r1 ba trai in ing within the next three years of 400, ,000 citizen soldiers to be raised in annual forces of 1S3,000. and the strengthening of the National Guard. He laid particular emphasis on the need of ample equipment.
 The President declared that the navy already is q very great and ef ficient force. but that in order to bring it to a point of extraordinary force and efficiency" a definite policy must be adopted and hastened and an adequate supply of men and equipment provided.
 In addition to speaking on national dcfense the President attacked linen who love other countries better than America," and men who stir up re- lisious and sectarian antagonism He declared that such men should be, "called to reck oning.
 Just before the dinner the President SHOOK HaUuS WltH all tne E 6QtstSt III cluding Charles r. Murphy.
 He spoke as follows:
 "Mr Toastmaster and Gentemen: warmly felicitate the club upon the com pletion of 30 years of successful and in- teresting life. Club life may be made to mean a great deal to those who know how %o use it. I have no doubt that to a great many of you has come genuine stimulation in the associations of this place and that as the years have multi piled you have seen more and more the useful ends which may be served by organizations of this sort,
 But have not come to peak wholly ot that for there arc others of your OWN members who can speak of the club with ia knowledge and an intelligence which no one can have who has not been nti- mately associated with it. Men band themselves together for the sake of the association no doubt but also for some thing greater and deeper than at-he- cause they are conscious of common in terests lying outside their husiness occu- pations. because they are members of tho same community and in frequent inter- course find mutual stimulation and a real maximum of vitality and power. shall assume that here around the dinner table on this memorial occasion our talk should properly turn to the wide and common interests which are most in our thoughts. whether they be the interests of the conn munity or of the nation.
 Foreign Relations
 "A year and Q half ago our thought would have been almost altogether of great domestic questions, They arc many and of vital consequence. We must and shall address ourselves to their solution with diligence. firmness. and self-posses- sion. notwithstanding we find ourselves in the midst of world disturbed by great 1 ufa an anlaxa with tarrt6te 1xrfsr but our thought is now inevitably of new things about which formerly we gave ourselves Nttle concern. We are thinking now chiefly of our relations with tho rest of the world-net our commerciaX reiations-about those We have thought and planned always-but about our polit- ica relations. our duties as an individual and independent force in the world to ourselves, our neighbors. and the world itself.
 "Ou principles are well known ft is not necessary to avow them again