New-York tribune., 1916-01-28

|
nm glad 20 believe was one ot. 'he
most efficient portions OF thc na''on"
guard OF the United States learned
10 admire the men. TO respect the OF.
fccrs. and 10 believe in the natioha'
guard.
Praises National Guard.
az believe that il Is the duty OF Con
gress 20 do very much more for 'ho
national guard than it has ever done
heretofore. | believe that that great
arm of our national defence should pe
built up and encouraged TO the utmost
But YOU know that under the Consul
tuition OF the United States 1t ~ under
the direction Of more than twoseote
s,atSs. and that IL is not permitted to
the national government directly 10 uI-
roc, TIA DEVELOPMENT and organization.
And that only upon occasion OF ac'ual
invasion has the President OF the
limited States the right to ask those
men to leave their respective states. l.
for my part. am afraid. though some
gentlemen differ with me, that there Is
no way in which that force can DC
made a direct resource as nationhi
reserve under national authority.
"What we need Is body OF men
trained In association with units OF
the army. A body of men organized
under the immediate direction OF the
national authorities. A body OF men
subject to the immediate call 10 arms
of the national authority. and yet men
not put into the ranks of the regular
} army; men left to their tasks OF civil
life; men supplied with equipment ana
training. but not drawn from the
peaceful pursuits which have made
America great and must keep her
great.
Not a Partisan of Any Plan.
81 am not partisan Of any one
plan. have had too much experience
TO think that il is right TO say That the
plan which proposed is the only plan
that will work, because | have a
shrewd suspicion that there may be
other plans which will work. But what
| am for. and what every American
ought TO insist upon is Il body OF at
least half million trained citizens
who will serve under conditions OF
danger as an Immediately available
national reserve.
IL am not saying anything about the
navy because don't want 10 go to sea.
want to stick to the one theme to-
night, because for some reason there
is not the same controversy about the
navy that there is about the army.
The navy Is obvious and easily under
stood. The army apparently is very am q
cult to comprehend and understand. We
have a traditional prejudice against ar
mics which makes US stop thinking the
. minute we begin talking about them !;
I onI ebqs alf arrlfes
alike and that there cannot be an
American system in this instance, but
that it must be the European system,
and that is what for one am trying 20
divest my own mind Of
THE navy is so obvious an instru-
ment g national defence that believe
that with differences Of opinion about
the detail II is not going 10 be difficult
TO carry out proper and reasonable
programme for the increase Of the
navy. But that is another story; and,
you know, ! have TO give good many
speeches in the near future, and ! must
save something TO subsequent days.
No Fear Of the Outcome.
"My theme tonight is national de-
fence on land. where we seem most
ignorant OF il and most negligent
ApOuL IL. 90 lNl want 10 AtAFt upon
your minds the impression that have
any anxiety rs 90 the outcome. for !
have not the slightest. There is only
one way that parties and individuals
win the confidence Of this nation and
that is to do the things that ought TO
be done. Nobody Is going TO be de-
ceived. Speeches are not going TO win
elections.
The facts are going to speak for
themselves. and speak louder than ary-
body who controverts them. No po-
litical party, no group Of men can ever
disappoint America. This Is n year Of
political accounting. and the Ameri-
/ cans in politics are rather expert ac-
countants. They know what the books
contain and they are not going 10 be
deceived by il. No man Is going to
hide behind any excuses. The goods
must be delivered or the confidence
will not be enjoyed; and for my part
hope every man In public life will
get what is coming to him.
"But if this is true, it Is because of
the things that lie much deeper than
laughter, much deeper than cheers; that
lie down at the very roots of our life.
America refuses 10 be deceived about
the things which most concern her,
=
have confidence in everything that she
represents.
at is solemn time, when men must
examine not only their purposes, but
their hearts, when men must purge
themselves of individual ambition,
when men must see 10 il that they are
ready for the utmost self-sacriiice in
the interest Of the common welfare
Let no man dare be a marplot. Let nc
man bring partisan passion into these
great things.
Let men honestly debate the facts
and cOurageously act upon them, and
then there will come that day when the
world will say. This America that we
thought was full OF a multitude Of con-
trary ideas, now speaks with the great
volume Of the hearts accord, and that
great heart of America has behind il
| the moral force of righteousness and
hope and the liberty of mankind
More Than 1000 Present.
More than 1900 persons, including
members of the railway mems orga-
nization, invited guests from every
part of the country, and all those who
could crowd 20 point within range OF
/ the Presidents voice, listened atten-
/ lively TO the discussion Of national de-
fence Every room connected with the
/ banquet hall was thrown open to ac-
commodate the guests.
The President walked down from his
suite in the east room unaccompanied
! except for two Secret Service men.
I Near the door of the banquet hall he
was met by a reception committee com
posed of the following members: J.
Leonard Replogle, chairman; G.. NJ.
Basford, p. VI. Brotherhood, II. NJ.
Ruck. T. O. BraZier. G. c. Castle. S.