Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-29
WILSON IS ON FIRST LEG OF
TOUR IN WEST.


Continued from Page One.)
go away without hearing the president,
and plans were discussed for holding
the overflow meeting outside in the
open air.
The president was closely guarded
by approximately 500 police as he
walked from the hotel, to the hall
When the president arrived the crowd
broke into loud cheering.
AS Mrs. Wilson stepped out on the
platform the band played a wedding
march. She smiled broadly.
Expresses Love for Peace.
President Wilson rose to speak amid
applause. He declared he was con-
scious of being truant from Wash
ington but that he felt it his duty tC
report to the people on the affairs OF
the nation. He added he got more in
spiration outside of Washington than
inside of it.
Il believe in peace. l love peace.
would not be a true American if | did
not love peace, but I 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 counsellors whose
source of counsel is passion. 1t is moi
wise or possible to guide national pol
| icy under the influence of passion.
would be ashamed of the passion O
fear.
! America does not desire anything
but freedom, justice and right con
duct"
The president also advised agains
taking the advice of professional sail
ors and soldiers ON some questions.
| ut is time that we attempted, a.
any rate, to apply the standards of oul
| life to national defense What do We
want to defend? Need l answer? We
want to defend the equal right of the
nation as against all other nations anG
|
! western hemisphere.
These are our great needs of de-
tense.
Did you ever stop to reflect JUS
what it is that America stands for
She stands for the sovereignty of the
self-governing peoples of the world
| Our aim, our assistance, our encOur
agement has thrilled two continents il
this western hemisphere. This is wha
We stand for.
at seems to me that America is il
love with efficiency. Material effici
ency of which we hear so much, only
underlies, however, what l may cal
spiritual efficiency.
Il for my part have great enthus
iasm for rendering America spiritual!
efficient. The plans for our militar.
efficiency do not provide for grea
army We want only an army neces
sary for the uses of peace, but WI
want back of that army trained bod,
of men. These men should be civil
ans, men who know that the arts o
peace come before the arts of war.
"a plain gentleman in black some
times a very plain gentleman, Otter
presides over the army.
Men should dread war and know
that everything on which the nation
depends comes from peace.
1.-THE details of the army plans d.
not make any difference. Perhaps 9th
ers have better plans. But | do wan
an adequate and efficient force of a
least 100000 men trained to the arts 0
war who will be ready to protect tn
nation.
This nation will not be stalked b.
ghosts and fancies.
Il am proposing something more thai
temporary. 1t is my conception tina
as the government has encouraged ag
riculture training, it should also en-
courage industrial training and it i
perfectly feasible along with indus
trial training to instruct our youn
J men in the mechanism and handling O
rife and guns and in the rudimen
tary arts OF warfare-instruct then
and at the same time quicken and en-
noble the performance of the tasks o
peace.
But we can't take the time now t
Idevelop and encourage these schools
We must train and equip at once
very considerable body of men.
1.-The test of preparedness does nc
lie In congress. 1t is going to be /
the response of the young men OF tn
country to the call to volunteer an
. OF the employers of these men to plac
no obstacle TO their answering tn
call. for one, believe both the youn
men and the employers will do thei
duty. But there are many selfish in
fiuences at work in this country Whe
lit comes, however. to the test. ! believ
America can produce as much sui