The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-02-02
UNLESS NATION IS PREPARED
Contends That We May Yet
Have To Fight For
Our Honor.
POLITICS A FOREIGN QUESTION

| tllllt may IOlllt NitAl hC tethuOJ bOIi
keep the United States out of wa
and maintain its honor. He declar
ed that the country must be prepar
ed to defend itself and must prepare
at once.
America is not afraid of anybo
dy,' he said. II know | reflect your
feelings and the feeling of all oul
citizens when | say the only thing
/ am afraid of is not being ready tC
perform my duty. | am afraid OF
the danger of shame. | am afraid
of the danger of inadequacy; | am
afraid of the danger of not being
able to express the character of this
country with tremendous might and
| effectiveness whenever we are call
ed upon to act in the field of the
worlds affairs"
The President spoke in Cleveland
tonight with more gravity and force
than he has shown during any of his
previous addresses on preparedness.
He was applauded frequently, and
when he spoke of defending the ma
tons honor, the cheering was ire
mendous.
Let me tell you very solemnly
you cannot postpone this thing" he
declared. Il do not know what a
single day may bring forth. | do
not wish TO leave you with the i'm
preston that l am thinking of some
particular danger.
81 merely wish to tell you that We
are daily treading amidst intricate
dangers. The dangers that we are
treading amongst are not of our own
making and not under our control. |
think no man in the United States
knows what a single week, a single
day, single hour, may bring forth"
Again and again the President
spoke of the nations honor. He de-
clared the real man believes his hon
or is dearer than his life and ma
tons honor is dearer than its peace
and comfort.
Regret that the question has come
up in a campaign year was expressed
by Mr.. Wilson.
LET us forget" he said, that this
is a year of national elections" The
preparedness issue, he added, should
have nothing to do with politics.
For the first time during his pres
ent tour the President spoke of the
navy and of the coast defenses. The
latter, he said, are good in quality,
but not in quantity.
Some people say that the navy
ranks second, he declared, but the
experts agree it ranks fourth. He
added it should be increased.
Among the possible sources of
danger mentioned by the President
We're the difficulties growing out of
the protection of Americans abroad
and the obligation OF the United
'toNNo W Tue llbcItltS vi
the people of the Western Hemis-
phere.
In his first mention of coast de-
Tense, Mr.. Wilson said:
Take, for example the matter of
our coast defenses. 1t is obvious to
every man that they are of the most
vital importance to the country.
Such coast defenses as We have are
strong and admirable, but we havs
not got coast defenses in enough,
places. Their quality is admirable
but their quantity is insufficient. The
military authorities of this country
have not been negligent; they have
sought adequate appropriations from
Congress and in most instances have
obtained, so far as we saw the work
in hand, what it was necessary to do.
And the work that they have done in
the use of these appropriations has
been admirable and skillful work.
Do not let anybody deceive you into
supposing that the army of the
United States. so far as ii has had
opportunity, is in any degree un-
worthy of your confidence.
And the navy of the United
States! You have been told that il
is the second in strength In the
world. | am sorry to say that ex-
perts do not agree with those who
tell you that. Reckoning by its ac-
tual strength believe ii TO be one
of the most Efficient navies in the
world, but its strength ranks fourth.
not second. And you must reckon
with the fact that ii is necessary
that this should be our first arm OF
defense, and you ought to insist
that everything should be done