The Washington times., 1916-01-30
HARD TO KEEP PEACE,
DECLARES PRESIDENT
Makes Startling Appeal for Ma
ticnaI Defense Before 5000
Persons at Pittsburgh.
Continued from First PageD

iIOiu liSt "SN''
of the country. last night. The Presi-
dent boldly asserted that the United
states Is not afraid of any nation. but
that in case of national peril he feared
for America because OF the inadeduacy
and inaffiCiency of the military arms
of the country.
President stated emphatically, you
can't afford to postpone adequate pre-
parcdncss.
II do not know what tho next day will
bring. | do not mean to point to any
particular danger, but we are being
swept along in things over which we
have no control. No man can say what
the next day or the next week may
bring.
You may count on me to keep you
out of the war, but you must heip me In
maintaining the honor of the nation:
America is not afraid OF anybody. !
know that I express your feelings and
the feeling of all our fellow-citizens
when I say that the only thing am
my duty. | am afraid of the danger OF
shame; I am afraid Of the danger OF
inadeuuacy; I am afraid of the danger
of not being able to express the great
character of this country with tremen-
dous might and effectiveness whenever
we arc called upon to act In the field
of the worlds affairs, for 1t Is charac-
ter we are going to express, not power
merely"
After the address to the chamber Of
commerce members. the President re-.
turned to his hotel where nearly 5000
persons conGregated. He spoke Few
words of appreciation. but did not make
an address. .
II am a union man." said the Presi-
dent. "and I mustn't work over eight
hours q dar."
Presidents Speech.
Following Is the Presidents speech:
II esteem It real privilege to be ir
Cleveland again and to address YOU
upon the serious questions OF public
policy which now confront us 7 have
not given mvself this sort OF pleasure
very often since 7 have been President.
for | hope that YOU have observed what
my conception OF the office OF Prcsi-
dent Is. do not believe that ordinarily
speaking ii is speech making office
! have found the eXactions OF II such
that it WAS absolutely necessary for me
to remain constantly In touch with the
DALI changes Of public business. and
YOU so arranged il that ] should he
President at time when there was a
great deal of public business to remain
in touch with.
but the times arc such. gentlemen
that it Is necessary that we should take
common counsel together regarding
them. | suppose that this country has
never found itself before in go singular
a position. The present situation of the
world would only n twelve months ago.
even after thA European war had
started, have seemed incredible. and vet
now the things that no man anticipated
have happened. The titanic struggle
continues. The difficulties OF our af-
fairs accumulate. II was. OF course
evident that this was taking place long
before tho present session of Congress
assembled But only since the TnpGress
assembled has it been possible to con-
slider what We ought to do in the new
circumstances of the times. Congress
cannot know what to do unless the
nation knows what = do. and II seemed
to me not only my privilege but my
duty to go out and inform my fellow
couI.trymen 'ust what 7 understood the
present situation to be.
Two-thirds at War
"What are tho elements OF tn" case?
In the first place. and most obviously.
tw"-thirds Of the world are at war. II
IS not merely European struggle; ma
tions in the Orient have become in
Nolved as well as nations in tho west.
and everywhere there seems To be
creeping even upon the nations disen-
GaGcd the spirit and the threat of war
All the world outside OF America Is on
lire. 10 you wonder that mems imagi-
nations take color from the situation?
'For my own part. | am sorr'' that
those things fall within the year OF a
national political campaign. They ought
TO have nothing whatever to 60 with
politics. The thing to do now is for all
men of all parties TO think along the
same lines and to do the same things.
and forget every difference that may