The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-03-04
TEACH CONGRESS
sAIS MITCHELL.
New York's Mayor Urges,
Aggressive Work For
Preparedness.

fByAssociatedrPress)

ST LOUIS. MarchA-pemocrsaesyl
lis on trfaIansthe Observation-Disclosures
jandthe$ Kmerfcan Gongresslmnst meet
the test by establishing, thiss years
complete and adequate national de
tense! MayorSPurroysMi Mitchell of New
York City declRredF lin an address To-
day before the NATIONAL Conference OF
Mayors on Defense. Mayor Mitchell
Furgedgtha the Conference take def
mite ctionIlooking:to theienectdVe or
ganization OF popular opinion In nome
districts and the translation OF tnat
organized opinion ntogimmedtate and
direct pressure" upon Congress.
1.-THE National Congress,ss he said.
"is a sensitive body, sensitive to pub
lie opinion. most sensitive to public
opinion that means votes in the home
district! This convention represents
the people Of cities. It's voice Is the
most representative expression OF
American opinion yet had upon this
great question. Its delegates have the
opportunity to light, in every commun:
ity ofour broad land,sa lfreto Of Informed
and intelligent public sentiment tina
will warm our Congress into a glow
OF patriotic fervor and %endeavor which
has been conspicuously foreign to that
distinguished body during the past
precious eighteen months"
During these months, Mayor Mitchell
declared; the American people have
been Ijarred. into al recognition that
their country cannot longer be a de
tached nation, standing aloof from the
International affairs ofiother peoples,
and have come to know that the Unit
ed States must take her place among
the nations OF the world, on equal foot.
ing, or suffer the impairment OF her
every interest at home as we'll as in
foreign markets."
The preparedness Of European ma
lions at the. beginning of the war, May.
or Mitchell asserted, taught the United
States that its condition was "at once
precarious and humiliating."
when, later, the lessons OF prepar-
edness and! of international cold-blood.
ed selishness were daily and hourly
being driven home to the world, we
saw our Congress utterly supine, ap'
parently prepared to gamble this ma
tons security and future on the &C.
lcident of chance" he said, Some OF
us GuuC6lE6u lu2L 4LsWuo NthS AAS5 VI
local governments to stimulate public
opinion within their own jurisdiction,
and to bring its impactsto bear upon
misrepresentation In Congress who,
either through Ignorant stupidity or
the yernal service of special interests,
have demonstrated thattthey: held the
selfish immediate temporary apparent
interests. OF localities. classes OF
groups superior. to the security and in,
tegrity of the nation as . whole" y
The Mayor saidFthat1M wasfthe duty
OF the conference to conduct an &C
tive,campaign to the ends, first. that
our people may be informed as to the
nations real situation, present re-
sources, and immediate needs in this
matter OF the national 'detense;" and,
second, that our representative con
gressmen and senators may hear the
maseed voices of their constituents
speaking to them in. no uncertain tone
and bidding.themS do their duty in the
establishment now, this4year, Of com.
plete and adequate national defense"
Mayor Mitchell alluded to what he
lee 80 TWEa@H4 ave ltT+TgF fgatr NrF1H-er