The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-03-30
WHITMAN PLEADS
FOR ARMY OF PEACE
Urges Youth to Join Guard AMI to En-.
ter Politics for Nation Good, at
Rochester Y. M. G. A.

ROCHESTER,, n. Y, March 30. i
Urging an army for political defence |
in town, city and state as well as an
adequate national preparedness, Gov.
Whitman delivered the address at the
opening of the Y. NJ c. A. building in
Rochester Referring to the physical |
upbuilding of boys and men and the |
reclaiming of citizens he paid tribute !
TO Warden Homer and the work at |
Great Meadows prison. Support good !
men in public office and depose bad |
officials, he urged.
The governor said in part:
.sThe gang instinct is strong in
every boy and every young man, and
if it is not given a decent and proper
opportunity of expression it is apt to
find a mean and degrading one.
The idea is by no means new that
strong and healthy minds are apt to
90 with healthy bodies. But never was
this truth brought home to me more
forcibly than on recent visit to the
state prison at Great Meadow There
eleven hundred or more men, who have
committed all kinds of crimes, are paw
ing the penalty imposed by law Yet
there is no wall about the prison and
the men work IN the open largely with
out guards, kept from escape apparent
ly by nothing more binding than the
word of honor that each man has
pledged to the warden. A very large
per cent of those when released are
restored to society as sober and useful
members It is a result obtained very
largely through body building and the
strengthening of character likely to be
existent Herewith
= I make no secret of my belief that
the United States should address Itself
to the task of an adequate defence
against armed invasion or unbaarable
aggression. | would like to see every
man and boy of proper age possessed
of the training that would enable him
to become fitldefender of democratic
institutions in time of need. l would
even urge you to identify yourselves
with the National Guard, upon which
the state of New York spends upward
of - 900, goo every year.
- But there are. other enemies than
those that international misunderstood
! ings may Bring against us. There Is
: other fighting to be done than that
which calls for sacrifice of life on bat.
, tlefields.
: NIs it any less shameful for q cit
: izen to stay away from the polls where
+ the destinies of the nation are decided
q where great issues upon which hang
p the welfare of the city. state and ma
= ton are to be fought TO the conclusion
than it is for him, when called to de
fend the nation s honor. to stay al
/. home out of a selfish refusal to incu1
= the danger?
! If politics is dirty game does thu
!, fundamental fault lie with profession
:. al politicians or does it lie with IL
. Electorate so indifferent to its duty
Il as to permit its public business to b.
= done by those whom some of the electO
+ rate delight to call unreliable and I'm
J Trustworthy and dishonest2 Is it NOR
: honorable to elect men TO high office
- and then refuse them continued am
- active support in their struggles in tn
~ interests of good government and goo
= things in public life?
- eco into political Efe-go into po
~ !ities, This does not mean necessaril