The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-02-11
WILSON CONVINCED
CAUSE WILL WIN
ENDS SPEAKING TOUR At ST.
LOUIS AND RETURNS TO
THE CAPITAL.
Believes He Has Explained Why ne
Considers Immediate Preparedness
imperative, and That he Has
Won Many Converts.

st. Louis. -PreSident WllSoH Hni9n
ed his speaking tour in st. Louis on
Thursday and expressed the conylc.
ton that his mission had succeeded
beyond his greatest hopes.
President wilson's advisers believe
/ he has explained clearly why he con-
siders immediate preparedness imper-
alive, has won many converts TO the
movement and his given new impetus
to a discussion of the cause.
From the sympathetic attitude OF
most of his audiences, from the enthn-
siasm his every appearance in pubic
has evoked, from the huge crowds
which have greeted him, they have
drawn the conclusion that the people
overwhelmingly support his plans--at
least in the middle west.
President Wilson on Thursday told
an audience Of $4,000, cheering tn.
multuously at his feet, that the Unit.
ed States should have the greatest
| navy in the world.
Il believe the navy of the United
States should be incomparably the
greatest in the world" he said.
The president declared that subma-
rine commanders abroad have instruc-
lions which for the most part con-
form with international law, but that
the act of one commander might set
the world afire, including America
Upon the ocean there are hundreds
Of cargoes of American goods" he
said, cotton, grain and all the boun.
tiful supplies America is sending out
to the woodland any one of those
cargoes, any one of those ships may
be the point of contact that will bring
America into the war"
For the first time during the tour
the president told Of how one set of
belligerents was cut off from the
world. He said this kept the United
States from helping them as it would
like. He made the statement in try.
Ing to show that the United States
was really neutral.
The president opened with the
statement that he had come seeking
something in the middle west and
found it," He said he had been told
the middle west was against prepared.
ness, but did not believe it.
President Wilson visited Kansas
City and Topeka on February 2, in his
Journey across the country for the
purpose of explaining his prepared
ness program to the people.
At Topeka, the president asserted |
the right of Americans to travel
abroad. and their right to send food,
cotton and manufactured products 10
peaceful populations lin open neutral
markets" and wherever the condi.
IONS OF war make it possible to do SO
under the ordinary rules of interna.
tional law
It may be necessary to use the
force OF the United States to yindicate
the rights of American citizens to en-.
w the protection of international
law" he declared emphatically. He
urged the support of the people Of
Kansas in preparing that force for
use, if necessary.
In his address at Kansas City, Pres.
ldent Wilson demanded that steps be
taken during the present month to
back him up in defending American
lives and commerce abroad. His de,
mand met with shouts and applause
from an audience of 10000 persons
VINO waved American flags, leaped ia
their seats and cheered.
AT Des Moines, Iowa, on February
the president dealt with the futility
OF messages and words Of protest ia
meet breaches of international law
DO you want the situation to he
SUCH that all the president can do is
20 write messages and utter words Of
protest!' ne asked, in advocating
preparedness before the largest audi.
ence Of his present trip.
why, to ask that question il ia
answer it, he said.
Whenever international law 70 Vic.
iated oy one or the other belliger.
ents, the president said, America
was called upon to register a voice
OF protest. of insistence'."
mere are actually men in America
VINO are preaching war, the president
ueciared; men who want the Unitad
states TO have entangling alliances
He said he did ont think thew
spoke the voice of America wb;oi, x
declared to be for peace. =
ne added that others 60 further
, IMAM ne, in advocating peace: aThey
preach the doctrine of peace at any
p p ne said, while men in the
a ae,s called Never, never Ha
saiu 'hese men did not know the cir.
eumstances of the world ~ ",
- america amer cannot be an ostrich with