Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-29
SAYS GREAT ARMY
IS NOT HIS OBJECT
President Wilson, at Pitts
burgh, Explains Program OF
Preparedness.
FIRST OF HIS SPEECHES
ON NATIONAL DEFENSE
Nations Executive Greeted by Vast
Throng-Band Plays Wedding
March for Mrs. Wilson.


trip through the middle west.
Half an hour before the President
was due to speak. Memorial Hall
was packed with 1000 persons. all
seats were taken on the floor
above, reserved for the overflow
meeting. and crowd OF several
thousand stood outside.
The arrival of the President was her
aided by a fanfare of trumpets and
The Star Spangled Banner Mrs.
Wilson entered first and was warmly
applauded When the President ar
rived the crowd broke into loud cheer
ing
AS Mrs. Wilson stepped out on the
platform the band played wedding
march. She smiled broadly.
President Is Applauded.
President Wilson rose to speak amid
applause. He declared he was con-
scious of being truant from Wash
ington, but he felt 1t his duty to re-
port to the people on the affairs of the
nation. He added he got more inspira-
tion outside of Washington than inside
it.
II believe in peace. l love peace.
would not be true American II | dld
not love peace, but l know that peace
costs something. That the only way you
can maintain peace is to enjoy the respect
of everybody with whom you deal.
There are other counselors whose
source of counsel is passion. 1t is not
wise nor possible to guide national policy
under the influence of passion. L would
be ashame Of the passion OF fear.
America does not desire anything other
than freedom, justice and right conduct" :"
Advises Against ''Professionals."
The President also advised against TAX
ing the advice of professional sailors and
soldiers on some questions.
at is time we attempted, at any rate.
to apply the standard of our own life
to national defense. What do We want
to defend the equal right Of the nation
as against all other nations and we
wish to maintain the peace of the west
ern hemisphere.
These are our great needs or de-
fense.
did you ever stop to reflect Just
what it is that America stands for?
She stands for the sovereignty of the
peoples of the world.
Our aim, our assistance, our encour-
agement has thrilled two continents in
this western hemisphere.
This is what We stand for. 1t seems
to me that America is in love with ef-
ficiency. Material efficiency. of which
we hear so much, only underlies, how
ever. what ] may call spiritual eff
cheney.
Great Army Not Contemplated.
II for my part have a great enthu-
siasm for rendering America spiritual
ly efficient The plans for our military
army. We want only an army neces-
sary for the uses of peace, but We want
back of that army a trained body of
men. These men should be civilians,
men who know the arts of peace come
before the arts of war.
"A plain gentleman in black. some
times a very, very plain gentleman
often presides over the army.
Men should dread war and know that
everything on which the nation de-
pends comes from peace.
'"The details of the army plans do
not make any difference Perhaps 9TH
ers have better plans: but l DO want
an adequate ana emclent IOTc6 OF al
least 100000 men trained to the arts
of war. who will be ready to protect
the nation.
This nation will not be stalked by
ghosts and fancies.
"I am proposing something more
than temporary. Ii is my conception
that as the government has encourag-
ed agricultural training, it should also
industrial training. and it is
perfectly feasible along with indus
trial training to instruct our young
men in the mechan nism and handling of
a rife, and guns and in the rudimen-
tary arts of warfare-inStruct them
and at the same time quicken and en-
noble the performance of the tasks OF
peace.
develop and encourage these schools:
we must train and equip at once a
very considerable body of men.
Test of Preparedness.
.Tbe test of preparedness does not lie
in Congress. 1t is going to be in the
response of the young men of the
country to the call to volunteer and of
no obstacle to their answering the call.
1 for one believe both the young men
and the employers will do their duty.
But there are many selfish influences
At work in this country. When it
comes, however, to the test l believe
America can produce as much substan-
tial patriotism as any other land under
the SUM-"
The Presidents words were marked
by applause. He spoke rap
dly but clearly.
II am not afraid of debate. L am
not afraid that out of it we will not |
get results. 1 am talking myself, and
the other fellow should have |
lis chance.
Il am sorry this Is a campaign year. |
[ hope this question will not be a par
tisan question. No man should attempt |
to make political capital out of it. l
will be ashamed of any friends of mine |
who take a different view. Republicans |
and democrats have many differences. |
but there is no reason why they should |
differ on the issue. Both parties are |
|
Dihiculties Facing America.
The President spoke of the effects of |
the war to show the difficulties facing |
America.
Where nations are engaged in war. |
ITSa-tI,,,.,l- ~, Es3FtY, %