The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-02-05
w. 1AAA' ~ =
NAVY LACKING IN = -
IN CHICAGO SPEECH = e bENT
CALLS FOR INCP @
Wants Immediate sty , Ken to En-.
large Army and to Strength
Deemed Necessa.

Deemed Necessa.
Chicago, Jan. 31.-The United
States had made preparations for
immediate war as far as9Ahe navy is
concerned, although ,t1Spresent naval
force is inadequate. iiS size. President
Wilson declared tonight in an address
before seves -nousand persons in
the audit Il are. I'VE mean busi-
ness" he's in speaking of the pre-
paredness plans of the administra-
ton.
I'VE have given to the present fleet
Tof the United States an organization
such as it never had before, am told
by Admiral Fletcher" the president
said. And we have made prepara-
tiosf for immediate war so far as the
NJ y is concerned.
1.-THE army" he said, as at present
Constituted, "is not large enough even
for the ordinary duties of peace"
The president repeated his warm
ings that no time must be lost in
strengthening the defenses Of the ma
ton. He declared the government
was doing everything it could for
preparedness.
When 1 see some of my fellow
citizens spread tinder where the
sparks are falling I wonder what
their ideal of Americanism is" the
president said.
America, the president said, had
been cruelty misjudged by the ma
tions now at war.
Il know that on the other side OF
the water there has been a great deal
OF cruel misjudgment with regard to
the reasons why America has remain
ed neutral. Those looking at us from
la distance do not feel the strong
pulses of ideals and principles that
are in us.
They do not feel the conviction of
America that our mission is a mis-
sion of peace and that righteousness
can not be maintained as a standard
in the midst of arms. They do not
|sealise that back of ALI Of our.
energy we are a body Of idealistS
much more ready to lay down our
lives for thought than for a dollar.
They suppose, some of them. that
we are holding off because we can
make money while others are dying,
the most cruel misunderstanding that
any nation has ever had to face"
Rulers, not public opinion, brought
about the present war, Mr.. Wilson de-
clared. Il thank God there is no man
in the United States who has the au-
thority to bring on war without the
consent of the nation" he said.
The task Of the United States, he
said, has been to assert the principles
of law in a world in which the prin-
ciples of law have broken down.
we are not now thinking Of in
vasion of the territory of the United
States" the president declared. 1--WE
are not asking ourselves shall we be
prepared only to defend our own
homes and our own shores. We stand
pledged to see that both the continents
or America are left free to be used
by their people as those people
choose to use them under a system
OF national popular sovereignty as alb
solutely unchallenged as our own.
AT this moment the Americas are
growing together upon that handsome
privilege of reciprocal respect and de-
fense"
Detailed plans for STRENGTHENING
the army and navy and the aviation
corps and for making munitions and
armament by the government were
outlined.
An hour before the president was
dre to speak the galleries of the audi
torium were filled. The main floor
seats were taken long before he camc
on the stage and many were turned
away. The rousing welcome with
which Chicago greeted his arrival was
echoed in the cheers of the crowds
about the building as the presidential
party came in.
Mayor Thompson of Chicago occu-
pied seat on the stage near the pres
ident and Gov. Dunno of Illinois was
in a box.
The entrance of the president was
he.alded by the playing of THE Star
Spangled Banner" The crowd stood
and applauded. Mrs. Wilson sat i'm q
box.