The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-30
Says Grave Dangers Face
United States on Account OF
World War
WE LOVE PEACE BUT
SHOULD BE STRONG
Americas President Asks Peo-
pie of Country to Place
Themselves in Position to
Meet Emergencies

Clevcl and. o, Jan. 29.~-President
Wilson tonight for the first time de-
clared shat the United States Navy
must be improved at once.
The navy should be the main arm OF
his defense he asserted. The President
said that statistics show that the
United States Navy ranks fourth among
the navies of the world, He declared
that this should be changed at once.
The President took up the needs OF
the navy in an address before 1000
persons in Gray's Armory here. Though
having made two earlier speeches to-
day, AMI having travelled from Pitts
burg. he did not appear tired.
The 3Eesiden. dwelt at length on
the grave dangers facing the United
States as the result Of the world war
in Europe.
All the world outside the United
States s. on fire." he, declared. DO
you wonder men see red" Our inter-
ests are slowly being drawn into this
maelstrom. lis difficult to hold OFF.
We have done so. But IL has needed
great deal of watchfulness and un-
remittIag patience"
speaks on Coast Defenses.
The President also for the first time
tonight touched upon the coast de-
lenses.
''Our coast defenses are admirabis.'
he said The quality is admirable, but
the quantity is Insufficient"
In discussing the navy the Prest-
dent said:
You have been told 1t is the Sec
ond in strength. am sorry, but experts
don't agree reckoning by its actual
strength. | believe 1t to be one of the
most efficient but actually it 10
fourth"
The Presidents speech follows:
Mr. President and Fellos Citizens
Il esteem it real p, ivilege to be
in Cleveland again and tn address YOU
upon serious questions of public policy
which low confronts us-I -haye-not
given myself thus sort of pleasure very
often since / have been President, for
hop that you have observed what
my conception of the office of iresi-
dent Is. don't believe that ordi-
nartly speaking it is a speech making
position. | have found the exactious OF
ii such that 1t was absolutely neces-
sary fer me TO remain constantly in
touch with the daily changes of pub
lie business and yet so al range II that
should he here at time when there
was a great deal of public business
to remain in touch with.
But the times are SUCH gentlemen.
that Is is necessary that we should
take counsel together regarding them.
+ suppose that this country has never
position. The present situation of the
world would only twelvemonth ago.
even after the European war had start
-. ID. seemed incred!t able, and Yet
now the things that no man anticipated
have happened The titanic struggle
continues The difficulties of the
worlds affairs accumulate. 1t was, OF
course evident that this was taking
place long before the present session
of Congress assembled. but only since
the Congress assembled has II been
possible TO consider wha. we ought TO
do in the new circumstances of tina
times Congress cannot know what
to do unless thu nation knows what 10
do and it seemed to me not only my
privilege, but my duty to go out and
inform my fellow countrymen just what
I understand the present situation to
be.
Tv~o-thirds of World at War.
What are the elements of the cass:
In the first place. and most obviously.
two thirds OF the world is at war. 1t
Is not merely European struggle;
nations in the Orient have become In
volved as we'll as nations in the West
and everywhere there seems to be
creeping even uuon the nations Olsen.
gagged the spirit and the threat OF
war
.An the world outside of America
is on FIRE. Do YOU wonder that mems
imaginations take color from the sit-
uation2 Do you wonder that there
Is a great reaction against war; Do
YOU wonder that the passion for peace
grows stronger as the spectacle grows
more tremendous and more OVER
whelming1 And do you wonder, on
the other hand. that men's sympathisA
become deeply engaged on the one SIDE
or the other? For no small things are
happening This is struggle which
will determine the history OF the worfds-
I dare say for moro than century t.
come The world will never be tina
same again after this war Is over. Tne
change MAJ be for veal for IT may
be for woe. but il will be fundamental
and tremendous
"And In the meantime we. the PEG.
pie OF the United States. are the ona
great disengaged power. the one neus
trail power, finding 1t a little dintcule
to be neutral, because like men every-
where else, we are human: we have fha
deep passions of mankind in "; we
have sylnpathie, that are easily stirred
as the smypathtes Of any other peoples
we have interests which we see bctnk
drawn slowly irto the maelstrom -
this tremendous upheavcal.
Diffcuit 10 Keep Cool.
TT Is very difncult Tor ~ e -
ee X. =