Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1916-02-02
PRESIDENT WILSON
SPEAKS IN NEW YORK
URGES SPEEDY REIMBURSEMENT
OF ARMY BEFORE NEW YORK
AUDIENCES.
MAS IN A FIGHTING MOOD
Declared He Always Accepted an In.
vitation to Fight.-Oefends His
Policy in Mexico.

New York.-President Wilson open
ed his personal appeal to the country
for national defense. He gave warn
ing that plans for the readjustment of
the Army must be formulated and car
ried out without delay and solemnly
declared he could not predict that the
outlook for the United States would
Speaking at banquets of the Railway
Business Association and the Motion
Picture Board of Trade, he sounded
the keynote of addresses that he will
deliver in the Middle West.
Mr.. Wilson was in a fighting mood
throughout his address. In a speech
delivered early in the day, he declar-
ed he always accepted an invitation
to fight. At night he told the railroad
men he was an advocate of peace and
had struggled to keep the United
States at peace, but he considered the
liberty and honor of the Nation even
more than peace.
"Woe to any man who plays mar
plot or who seeks to make party
politics or personal ambition take
precedence over candor, honor and
unselfsh, bipartisan SERVICE" said
the President in speaking of his de-
tense plan before the railroad men.
He declared that the country expects
action; this is 8 year Of accounting
n the accounting must be definite
on the part of parties and on the
part of every individual who wishes
to enjoy the public confidence.
For my part, l hope every mar in
public life will get what's coming tc
him." said Mr.. Wilson amid laughter
and applause.
The President at both banquets and
all during his days visit to New York
was greeted with enthusiasm. On his
ride between the hotels where the
banquets were held he was escorted
by a band and the Ninth Command Of
Coast Artillery of the New York Nat
ional Guard. Thousands of persons
packed the streets and cheered him
as he went by.
During his speech before nearly L.
500 business men at the railway ban
quet, where he cast aside almost en-
tirely the text of the address he had
previously prepared for delivery there
he was frequently interrupted by ap-
plause.
The President admitted that in a
message to the last Congress he had
said the need for preparedness was
not pressing. He declared that he
had learned something in the mean
time. He cited his recent support of
a tariff commission as another IN
stance of a change on his part, but
declared that previously there was
no need for such a commission.
Mr.. Wilson spoke Of men of high
character who were clouding the pre-
paredness issue. He declared they
were provincial and that the United
States could no longer cut herself Of
from the rest of the world.
The President vigorously defended
his Mexican policy. He asserted that
to invade Mexico would mean the
losing of the confidence of the rest
of the Western Hemisphere. He cited
the freing of Cuba as an instance of
good done by the United States.
eff we are drawn into the mael-
strom which now surges in Europe"
the President declared, 1--WE shall not
be permitted to do the high things
we would prefer"
The President defended the con
tfnental army plan drawn up by Sec
rotary Garrison and said that he did
not care about details of any plan
as long as 100000 trained men were
provided as reserves under the Fed
eral Government. He advocated
strengthening the National Guard, but
said the Constitution itself put the
guard under the state. He added that
the United States will not turn in
he direction of militarism.