Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-02-03

Tonight opened his personal appeal to
the country for national defense. He
gave warning that plans for the read
iustinent of the army must be formu
lated and carried out without delay,
and solemnly declared he could not
predict that the outlook for the United
States would be as bright tomorrow
as to-day. Speaking at banuucts or
the Railway business association and
tho Motion Picture Board of Trade. he
sounded tho keynote of addresses he
will deliver during the next ten days
in the Middle West.
IN FIGHTING MOOD.
Mr.. Wilson was in a fighting mood
! Throughout his addresses. In n speech
delivered early in the day h" declared
! he always accepted an invitation TO
fight Tonight he told the railroad
men lie was an advocate OF peace and
! had struggled to keep tn" United
states ut peace. but that he considered
tho liberty and honor of tho nation
oven more important than peace.
WOE to any man VINO plays mar
| plot or who seeks to make party poll
tics or personal ambition take precc-
dcncc over candor, honor and unseliish
bipartisan service" said the President
in speaking of his defense plan before
the railroad men. He declared that the
country expects action. that this is a
year of accounting, and that the ac-
counting must be definite on the part OF
parties aud on the part Of every indi-
! vidual who wishes to enjoy the public
confidence.
For my part l hope every man in
public life will get what's coming to
him." said the President amid laughter
and applause
The President AZ both banquets and
all during his days visit to New York
was greeted with enthusiasm. On his
ride between the hotels where the ban
pucts were held tonight he was escort
ed by band and the Ninth Command
| of Coast Artillery of the New York Ma
! tional Guard. Thousands of people
packed the streets and cheered him as
| he went by.
The President admitted that in a mes
sage to the last Congress he had said
I the need for preparedness was not
! pressing He declared that he had
learned something in the meantime. lie
! cited his recent support of a tariff
commission as another instance of a
|
previously there was no need for such
! n commission The business men on
Enthusiastically cheered his support Of the
| commission.
Mr.. Wilson spoke Of men OF high char
actcr who were cloudng tho prepared
ness issue. He declared they were pro-
vincial and that the United States could
no longer cut itself off from the rest of
! the world.
| DEFENDS MEXICAN POLICY.
/ The President vigorously defended his
Mexican policy. He asserted that to In
wade Mexico meant the losing of the
! confidence of the rest Of the western
hemisphere. He cited the freeing of
| Cuba as an instance of good done by
| the United States.
If are drawn into the maelstrom
which now surges in Europe the Pres
ident declared. I'VE shall not he permit
ted to do the high things would pre-
! fer"
! The President defended the continon-
tai army plan drawn UP by Secretary
! Garrison and said that lie did not care
| about the details Of any plan as long
as $4,000 trained men were provided as
reserves under the federal government.
| lie advocated STRENGTHENING the Ma
| tional Guard. but said tho constitution
| itself put the guard under the State.
| He added that the United States will
not turn in the direction of militarism.
| Outlining why the United States should
prepare Mr. Wilson said VIC must protect
our rights as a nation AMI the rights of
our citizens in America and outside of it
as the consensus of civilized peoples has
defined them; must ensure the unem-
| barraSscd realization of our political de-
velOpment within our own borders. and
must protect the peace and political
autonomy of the Americas
| Industrial preparedness, with tho mill
tary training of students in industrial
schools was proposed by tho President
~" left consideration Of navy plans FOR
later addresses
business mon who formerly relied on
protective measures in their dealings with
foreign powers were criticised by Mr.
Wilson. lie said American businessmen
should he able to hole, their own AGAINST
tho world
SCORES PARTISANS.
In tho course OF his address at the
Railroad association banquet the Pros.
idont said.
III is surprising circumstance also
that men should allow partisan feeling
,or personal ambition to creep into the
discussion Of this fundamental thing
How can Americans differ about the
safety Of America?
only the other day tho leader of the
republican minority in the House OF
Representatives delivered a speech that
IShoNcd that he was ready. ana I take
IT FOR granted that the men behind
him Were ready. to forget party lines
IN order that all men may act with a
common mind and impulse for the scrv-
ice OF the country, and ! want, upon
inns inst public occasion, to pay my
trihutc Of respect and obligation tc
: him
WHAT INTERVENTION MEANS.
, I'VE have slowly. very slowly indeed
, begun to win the confidence of the othc
States of the American hemisphere. +
| we should go into Mexico do you know
, what would happen? All the sympathy o.
, the rest of America would look across tn,
: water and not northward, TO the grea
, republic which we profess to represent
: ANA do YOU see the consequences tina
4 you'd ensue in every International rea
tionship? Have the gentlemen who hav,
rushed down to Washington to insist tina
W" should go into Mexico reflected upo,
, the politics OF the world? Nobody scri
onsly suppose. gentlemen, that the Unite,
states needs to fear an invasion of it,
own territory. What America has to fear
g1,s lsaN. 4.