The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1916-02-11
WILSON CONVINCED
CAUSE WILL WIN
ENDS SPEAKING TOUR AT ST.
LOUIS AND RETURNS TO
THE CAPITAL.
Believes He Has Explained Why He
Considers Immediate Preparedness
Imperative, and That He Has
Won Many Converts.

st. Louis-President Wilson finish
ed his speaking tour in st. Louis on
Thursday and expressed the convic-
tion that his mission had succeeded
beyond his greatest hopes.
President wilson's advisers believe
be has explained clearly why he con-
Biders immediate preparedness imper-
ative, has won many converts to the
movement and his given new impetus
to discussion of the cause.
From the sympathetic attitude OF
most of his audiences, from the enthu-
siasm his every appearance in public
has evoked, from the huge crowds
which have greeted him. they have
drawn the conclusion that the people
overwhelmingly support his plans-at
least in the middle west.
President Wilson on Thursday told
an audience of $4,000, cheering tu-
multuously at his feet, that the Unit
ed States should have the greatest
navy in the world.
Il believe the navy of the United
States should be incomparably the
The president declared that subma-
rine commanders abroad have instruc-
lions which for the most part con-
form with international law, but that
the act of one commander might set
the world aire, including America
Upon the ocean there are hundreds
Of cargoes of American goods" he
said, cotton, grain and all the boun-
tiful supplies America is sending out
to the world-and any one of those
cargoes. any one of those ships may
be the point OF contact that will bring
America into the war"
For the first time during the tour
the president told of how one set of |
belligerents was cut off from the |
world. He said this kept the United
States from helping them as it would
like. He made the statement in try
Ing to show that the United States
was really neutral.
The president opened with the
statement that he had come seeking
something In the middle west and
found It," He said he had been told
the middle west was against prepared
ness, but did not believe it.
President Wilson visited Kansas
City and Topeka on February 2, in his
journey across the country for the
purpose of explaining his prepared
ness program to the people.
At Topeka. the president asserted
the right of Americans to travel |
abroad, and their right to send food, I
cotton and manufactured products 10
peaceful populations "in open neutral :
markets" and wherever the condi- /,
tons of war make it possible TO do SO /,
under the ordinary rules of mterna-
tional law"
ut may be necessary to use the G
force of the United States to vindicate '
], 7 the protection of international v
law" he declared emphatically- He t
urged the support of the people Of /
Kansas in preparing that force for
use, il necessary
In his address at Kansas City, Pres
dent Wilson demanded that steps be e
taken during the present month to u
back him up in defending American n
ives and commerce abroad. His de- q
nand met with shouts and applause !
rom an audience of 10000 persons :,
Who waved American flags, leaped to
heir seats and cheered
At Des Moines, Iowa, on February 1, fl
he president dealt with the futility a
II messages and words OF protest to =
meet breaches of International law .
do you want the situation to be n
uch that all the president can do is q
0 write messages and ritter words Of e.
rotest?" he asked, In advocating n
Preparedness before the largest audi it
nee of his present trip. h
why. to ask that question is to IL
nswer It," he said. .,
whenever international law is vio-
ated by one or the other belliger-
nts," the president said, America Ii
'as called upon to register voice
protest, of insistence'."
There are actually men in America re
'ho are preaching war, the president :,
eclared; men who want the United :,
tates to haye entanglfng alliances ''
broad. He said he did ont think they Sc
poke the voice OF America. which he ca
eclared to be for peace is
He added that others go further r.
ian he, In advocating peace: They &c
reach the doctrine of peace at any Vi
rice," he said, while men In the or
udience called Never, never" He II
aid these men did not know the cir
instances of the world. ~
America cannot be an ostrich with eo
8 head in the sand" he. said. 1t