The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-15

happy to offer this opportunity and
this happiness to all. We only ask
in return loyalty, valor, and love, 10y
atty to the flag, valor in its defense,
and love of our free institutions We
do not care what songs of the old
home land you may sing or what
memories of the country from which
you came you may cherish. Ali we
ask is that the song you shall hold
dearest to your heart is the Star Span
gied Banner. And the memories you
shall cherish most and best are those
of America that makes you free.
There are some who seek to destroy
this nation whose freedom and bless
ings they enjoy. They call themselves
anarchists. If l had my way, l would
not allow a single man or association
of men to bear aloft upon the streets
and highways of this nation a flag or
emblem that either questioned the in
tegrity or authority of the Stars and
Stripes of the republic
Preparedness for Self-Defense-
In 1906 1 attended the great Peace
Conference held in London and saw
there assembled twenty-six nations or
the earth speaking in different
languages, but all spoke the language
of peace. 1 thought that the mil
lennium of peace had come, such a
thing as the worlds war was impossi-
BILE: but the day when the Christian
heart shall rule the world and when
peace shall reign over the land is not
here and unhappily is not in sight
Self-defense and preparation for II is
as necessary now as ever before we
must not mistake dishonor for peace,
as we can not mistake oppression for
peace All governments love peace
peace with freedom, peace with honor.
without these all is slavery beside.
Woodrow Wilson and the Democratic
party advocate an army big enough to
IL n
before they strike blow. Democracy
wants an army and a navy IN Keeping
with the dignity, preservation, and
worth of this great republic. SUCH pre-
parednesS and ability to defend our
selves our cities from bombardment.
and our soil from invasion, and to pro-
tect the rights of our citizens is the
purpose of Woodrow WILSON, L want
! a navy large enough that it will be i'm
possible for a foreign shell to fall in a
single American city I want an army
| strong enough to make it Impossible
| for an aggressor's foot to press Ameri-
can soil. We do not want a foot or
anybody else's soil, and, by the eternal
| God, they shall not take a foot of ours.
| 1 do not fear militarism. 1t has never
menaced free people
| In this land of freedom the right to
| declare war rests with the people
| themselves. Those who might fight
its battles speaking through their duly
| accredited representatives in congress
the house and the senate-can alone
declare war, and as the people can
declare war so they can proclaim
peace. Democracy believes in pre-
paredness without militarism During
| this administration we have done more
to build up an army and navy in three
years than the Republican party did
/ in forty years of its existence. More
has been done to give the American
people a navy and army in three
! no RnnGaValt
Mr.. Taft did in eleven years The
president challenged the seeming over
whelming opposition of congress and
! of his own party, and in the name of
/ self-defense ''and America first he
took his cause to the country, and in
the great and unshackled court of
public opinion summoned the Ameri-
can people to the rescue. Their re-
Spouse was immediate and overwhelm-
ing in his support President Wilson
acts, he does not rant; he builds, he
does not buster.
International Problems.
No president during the life of this
republic has ever had to deal with so
many delicate and dangerous problems
as those which have confronted PreSi-
dent Wilson during the last two years
of his incum bency in office. With
more than half of the world in arms
in Europe. with Mexico in revolution
at our border, these difficult and COM
plicated International problems have
confronted him almost daily, and he
has handled them as becomes a patriot
and statesman When the LuSitania
was sunk the militant voice of Theo-
dore Roosevelt cried out for war. and
if he had been president of the United
States at that time, today 100000
brave American sons would be con-
tending around the fort of Verdun in
this mighty naeltrom of blood
thousands would have been buried in
the bitches. Our president. patient,
patriotic, farsighted, the real states
man, handled this question with the
greatest ability, and won for America
its greatest diplomatic victory.
Some gentlemen in congress under
took to take out of the president s
hands the right of handling our for
eign situation Congress met that