Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-02-11
President Makes Country's
Position Feature of Stir
ring Address.
NEED MERCHANT FLEET
Speaking to the Commercial
Delegates He Tells the
Necessity of Marine.

Washington, Feb. 11.-Delegates to
the annual convention of the Chamber
Of Commerce of the United States left
for their homes today carrying with
them message from President Will
son, the feature of which was his de-
termination to keep the United States
out of the European conflict, although
he declared that the nation merely
held that trouble at arms length.
The president was speaking on neu-
trality at the annual banquet of the
chamber which was a concluding fea-
ture of three days convention. The
president also spoke of the need of
real scientific tariff board and a mer-
chant marine.
ut is cruel thing" said the presi-
dent, ito have it supposed, as it is in
many quarters, that we have kept out
of this war simply because we wanted
to keep out of trouble and simply be-
cause we wanted to profit by the trou-
bic Of others. 1 am not afraid of the
slow verdict of history with regard to
the neutrality of the United States. and
believe that we are justified in exer-
cising every degree of patience in max
ing it clear what our position is and
how sincerely we are determined not
to allow this quarrel to become part of
ours.
Trouble at Arms Length.
81 have only this to say, though. We
hold this trouble at arms length and
keep or attempt to keep our own judg-
ments cool, but the rest Of the world is
hot and it may be that any time with
out our cooperation and without our
ability to stop it, the fame may ex-
tend to u.s. And therefore l am glad
that the United States has been put in
a position to mobilize its financial re-
sources and to get into the position
which it must at last get into, whether
it wants to or not.
eff only we can keep this great ma
ton at peace there is an infinite pros
pect of happy prosperity before the
United States, not because others have
suffered, but because the United States
is ready to help, because the United
States is ready to serve"
The president spoke of the federal
reserve law, saying:
when you reflect what might have
happened If our banking system had at
the outset of this war been the clumsy
and Anticipated thing that it was three
years ago, you will realize that not
only might we not have escaped dis
aster, but the disaster might have been
so prolonged that it would have been
impossible for the United States to oc-
cupy the position she now occupies"
Tells Need of Merchant Marine.
The president told of the necessity of
scientific tariff board and said he
thought the nation would get 1t.
The president expressed the conf
dent hope that legislation creating a
merchant marine would be passed by
congress as soon as possible, and
added:
AT any rate, while all the rest of
the world is at war, we cannot deliver
our goods in other peoples ships, and
we have hopefully expected that ships
would be built by Americans, but there
have been no violent symptoms Of that
prospect being realized, and it is abb
solutely necessary that we should
make a beginning in some way.
| "a year ago when the original ship,
ming bill was introduced l was told
that a revolution Of some sort was be-
ing proposed. I am not afraid of any
kind of a revolution that Is useful.
do not care by what honest process
the goods are delivered but they have
got to be delivered. We cannot holt
our whole economic life stagnant be
cause we are afraid to try an expert
ment. am not afraid to try any ex
pertinent, provided you put the trying
of it into competent hands"