Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-03
Cargoes Are in Jeopardy.

in. but from without.
Cargoes Are in Jeopardy.
THE commanders of submarines for the
most part are in accord with the law or
nations but the act of one commander
may set the world on fire. There are
cargoes of wheat and cotton and manu-
featured articles on the sea and every
one of them may cause trouble because
they go into the zone Of fire.
America has drawn no fine points,
no new issues in her international rela-
tons; she has merely asserted the
rights of mankind when the life of
mankind is threatened in a world
afiame with war. She has rested upon
what is already written plain on the
documents of international law"
The crowd cheered. The President
said that some day statesmen OF the
older countries would have to admit
that it was America that kept burning
the flame Of international law upon its
altar when every other altar in tho
world was swept by the winds OF pas
sion.
Will Allow for Upset Tempers.
allowance" he continued. "for those
whose tempers are upset by war.
II am not in a critical frame Of mind.
I am ready to yield everything but the
vital points. j know how in time of
trouble. if we were in danger. might
thrust aside punctiliousness.
II am ready to make allowances for
both sides.
You know how one set of belliger-
ents is shut off from the rest OF the
world. Therefore the United States is
not able to express itself toward them
as they would like. I believe the
United States is really neutral.
My fellow citizens. while we know
our own purpose. it does not follow
that other nations understand.
Men press forward with sort OF
blind recklessness.
THE peace of the world. including
America, rests with the remainder of
the world and not with America.
Either we shall sit still and wait
for the necessity for immediate ma,
for volunteers who would be. for the
first few months. impotent as against
trained and experienced enemy: or
principle that the men of the country
shall be ready to take care OF their
own government"
The crowd roared its approval
You have either got to get the men
of this nation ready to Withstand the
first onslaught or you have got to be
ready to suffer from the first disaster"
When the President said he was only
asking for a trained citizenship he was
cheered. He said he did not want to
command a great army, but to COM
mand the support and confidence of his
fellow citizens. He urged that it would
be cruel to send unframed men into
battle.
"The plans now before Congress are
merely plans to save the lives of Ameri-
can youths he said, land those plans
will go through. Il am not insisting
upon the details but upon the principle.
THE modern fighting ship, submarine
every instrument of modern warfare
must be handled by experts. All we
are asking for now is sufficient num-
Der of experts and sufficient number
Of vessels at their disposal There is
no better service in the world than the
service Of the United States navy. But
the navy must have more ships, and
we are going to give the navy the ships
it needs.
Going to Have More Ships.
I'VE are going to have more ships.
We have been going about it leisurely.
but now we must get down to business.
We must have program and then stick
to it. The navy has great task. No
other navy has such a task.
I'VE ought to have the greatest navy
in the world" he declared amid great
applause. He explained the coast line
of the United States was SO long that
many ships were needed.
The President said there we're many
people in the United States talking
about national defense who don't know
what they are talking about.
They should be encouraged to hire
a large hall" he said.
Some of the newspaper editors who
opposed preparedness, the President
Id, should see the crowds before him.
They would be comforted." he said.
that what they say would not deceive
any one.
Whole Country Is Awake.
For every day 1 have been away
from Washington I have had Just this
feeling. The country is up; there is
no man who Is not awake, who does
not realize what the situation is and
what we should do to meet the situa-
ton"
The President empha tically reiter-
ated he believed the United States was
with him. He said the living rooms at
the White House do not face toward
the city Of Washington, but toward
Virginia and the open spaces.
THAT is where ] listen for the voice
of America" he declared. II think |
have heard that voice say that We must
let no one invade the rights of Amer
ica.''
The President ended his speech amid
applause. The band played America"
He stood and sang.
There was great overflow crowd on
the outside Of the building.
Urging Another Trip.
The President has not made definite
plans for another trip, but some of his
advisers, encouraged by the success of
the present trip, are urging him to
leave Washington about February IL
to visit Denver, the southwest and the
south.
The President came from Kansas
City greatly encouraged by the recep-
tion accorded him there last night. Not
since he left Washington. five days
ago, have the crowds cheered him so
heartily or appeared in such numbers
H. 1. H.,