The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-02-01
Plain Talk Is Cheered at
Auditorium AS He Tells
Hearers That Our Defense
Must Be Greatly In
creased.

/ III OCAAoVO4S
Chicago, Feb. before an audi
ence OF more than 5000 people in the
Auditorium last night President viii
son gave warning that unless his pre-
paredness program were carried
through very soon the country might
find to it's sorrow that it had imposed
upon him an impossible task in ask
ing him to maintain the honor of the
country and back up his representa-
tions with any hope of maintaining
peace.
His attitude. boldly taken. was that,
without the proper weapons, the posi-
ton of the country as the champion of
the ideals of America would prove I'M
tenabie in the face of a grave crisis
which might come at any time. I'm
less properly armed and equipped, he
said. he might have to suffer the NOR
tiAcation. and the people the disap-
pointment of. such discovery.
The Presidents : utterances were
crested with enthusiastic applause,
which was redoubled when the lPresi-
dent said that he hoped every man
who did not consent to have the pro-
gram. for preparedness carried out
would be forced to stand up before the
people and explain the reasons why.
The United States has made prepa-
ration for immediate war SO far the
navy isc oncerned, although the pres
emit naval force is inadequate in size,
President Wilson declared.
. I've mean business" he said, in
speaking of the preparedness plans of
the administration.
The army. the President said, as at
present constituted. lis not large
enough even for the ordinary duties
of peace.
The President declared the govern
ment was doing everything it could for
preparedness.
5ftWhen Issee some of my fellow citi-
zens spread finder where the sparks
are falling, I wonder what their ideals
of Americanis1n isl he said.
America, he said, had been cruelty
nisJudged by the nations now at war
ideals Above the Dollar.
II know that on the other side of
the water there has been a great deal
of cruel misjud gment with regard to
the reasons why America has remain
ed neutral. Those looking at us from
a distance do not feel the strong
pulses of ideals and principals that
are in u.s. They do not realize that
back of all our energy we are body
of 1deaIists much more ready to lay
down our lives for a thought than for
a dollar.
They suppose, some OF them, that
we are holding off because we can
make money while others are dying
the most cruel misunderstanding that
any nation has ever had~to face, so
wrong that tt seems a IA ost useless to
try and correct it because it shows
that the very fundam entails of our life
are not comprehended or under
stood
Rulers. not public opinion. brought
about the present war. Mr.. Wilson
declared.
q thank God there is no man in
the United States who has the author
tity to bring on war without the con
sent of the nation" he said.
The task of the United States he
said, has been to assert the principles
of law in a world in which the prin-
ciples of law have broken down.
1--WE are not now thinking of in
States, the President declared. I'VE
are not asking ourselves shall we be
prepared only to defend our own
homes andEour own shores. We stand
Pledged to see that both continents
or america are to be left free to be
used by their people as those people
choose to use them under a. system
OF national popular soverei g7lty as
absolutely unchaIlenged as our own
Chicago Crowds Cordial.
The Presidep received a cordial re-
ception in Chicago and was greeted on
every hand by great crowds. Follow
ing the great demonstration in Mil
W,alukee, where the whole city, it
seemed. had turned out to give its an
sWer to the charge that it was not
heart and soul for America first if a
crisis should come and to show that
the hyphen was q misappIed term,
the welcome here put new heart into
the President
He was in splendid trim and car
RED his audience with him as he de-
velOped his arguments. The general
feeling here is that the President has
scored another victory and that the
worst obstacles in his effort to get
quick action from Congress- has been
overcome.
The President reached Chicago from
Milwaukee at O'Clock and was en-
tertained at the Blackstone Hotel by
the Industrial club, under the aus
pfces of which the notable meeting in
the Auditorium was held. AS in
milwaukee, the reception was on non
partisan lines. and the only political
leaders the President met were the
governor, the mayor, and others who
came to pay their respects and pledge
their support.
HkzM WHu -