The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-16
Appeal to President to Call Attention of Congress = Military Unpreparedness of the Country
DELEGATES PASS RESOLUTION URGING
 IMMEDIATE ACTION
Peace and Preparedness Conference of National Security League Stirred by Military Situation

New York, June 15.-A resolution in- troduccd by Mayor CurIey of Boston mp- veaIing to President Wilson to call the attention of Congress to "the pressing need of prompt md efficient action'' with regard to the national defense, was unanimously adopted today by the confrcnce of the National Security league. The Massachusetts delegation at first proposed that n special session be demanded to consider what they termed the unprepared state of the country, but such action was deemed inadyisabIe and was abandoned.
 The preamble to the resolution read in part as follows:
 Events of the past year have demon strated the fact that war, no matter how greatly 1t may be deplored, may suddenly and unexpectedly occur, notwithstanding the existence of treaties of peace and unity, and they have shown that nations unprepared have paid and are paying the price of their lack of foresight The re- ports of our military and naval experts have made it cellar that the defensive forces of the country are inadequate for the proper protection of our coasts, to enable our government to maintain its ac- certed policies, to fulfill obligations to other states and to exert in the adjust ment of international questions the influ- erces to which the republic is entitled"
 The resolution itself urged that the President be appealed to to call the early attention of Congress to the press Ing need of prompt and efficient action.
 Resolution Adopted
 The resolution was adopted at an execu- tive session following luncheon which more than 1000 persons attended The speakers were George von L. Meyer, for mer Secretary of the Navy; Luke E. Wright, former Secretary of War; Major George Haven Putnam and Frederick R. Coudert.
 We have seen the we'll established rules Of international law, as applied to block ades and the rights of neutrals" said former Secretary Wright disregarded by two of the great bellgerent powers. It behooves us to see if this bloody tragedy which is being played before our eyes ooes not carry with it some lesson to us.
 "One of those lessons is that treaties however solemn, in the stress of angry passion or selfish interests may be torn to shreds and thrown in the waste basket Another one Is that the rights of neutrals are not always carefully regarded by angry belligerents and third, the most important to us. that if a ma ton can hope to escape from danger to its prosperity or to it's very existence. it must be by preparation and by reliance upon it's y own preparedness, rather than upon treaties and written papers of any sort. We see today evidences. if not of irr- tation, at least of the possibility of trou- ble growing out of the remonstrance of the violation of our rights as a neutral nation; and I am not referring alone to Germany, because England is in the same boat
 Orders Objectionable
 ''The English orders in councu are rust as objectional from a neutral standpoint as Is the sinking of beligerents' ships with neutrals on board without giving them a chance to escape. The underly- ing principle is the same. Our President is dealing with this delicate situation in a masterly way and without further referring to this matter we are we'll con- tent to leave 1t in his hands, knowing that he will deal with the subject with
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