The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-14
Prepar redness DemlOnstra-
tiOn Greatest Turnout in
the City's History.
EARNEST MARCHERS
ENTHUSE GEN. WOOD
Spirit Of Country Revealed
as Bands Play the Ma
tiOmal Anthem.
WOMEN WALK To SHOW
METTLE OF AMERICA
Mrs. Roosevelt Chprrcd in
l.imc-ThOlnaS Edison
Leads Naval Board.

The old American spirit nsred up in
tliis easy going, comfort loving New
York yesterday and inspired the great
est demonstration for patriotism our
country has even known.
1t fired the eyes and Strengthened
ihc shoulders "f i42 0Oo earnest men
and women VINO marched up BROAD
way and Fli'n avenue from early in
the morning until late at night.
1t made more than | 900 0oO specta-
tors banked at the edges of this human
or beat their hands together 1t made
4 ON think made them understand
how determincdly and positively the
solid citizenship was expressing itself
In the demand for complete det-nces
on land and sea.
II opened the eyes of group Of
Western congressman. caused them TO
stare at each other in ainaZement and
sent them back to Washington with
something of a hint, perhaps. TO their
colleagues of little navy and little army
notions II joit-d the sneerers, 81
uncertain. immeasura bly, delighted ami
treasured the friends of preparedness.
More than anything else the splendid
march for national rreparedness was
y: ufe4sior Of faith. as ;hat fine old
gentleman Joseph II thoate remarked
t. Gen Leonard wood as they stood
tn kindlins 'Nes on the reviewing
stand IN Madison square with Mayor
A,itcl,rl and Admiral Usher, profes-
sion OF faith testified Ia with almost
Ielisious gravity There. ind'rd was
III. k->nute "f the incorporate
psrad-.
Mnrchrr~ showed Enr"rst""ss.
Lacking the customary accessories
50 familiar in civic professions. the
famboyant banners and thcitrical
transparencies and gaudN uniforms
and all OF the Other properties that pull
a. the emotions, the parade was IN
finitelv impressive because of the utter
earn.stness OF the marchers. There
was nothing frivolous about the bear
in os these men and women who
swept from Bowling Green To- the
Plaza. wave on wave. They did not
laugh foolishiy They scarcely smiled.
There was no skylarking or horsepiay
or dl. greeting OF acquaintances or
friends along the way
They were marching in great
cause. for big idea. and it Was as
palpable as lightning to the eye or
thunder to the ear. They were grave.
contained and earnest because they
were the living eXponents OF the
srayest. most earnest idea of the times.
They had surged spontaneously from
every activity of the city's life, each
man. each woman enthusiastically con-
tributing a part Of the expense OF the
demonstration--some 81, some $40.
some 800, each from his means. They
were the men and women who make
the wheels go round. II was their
cause. their parade. No makers of
munitions or powder barons sent them
to march. Honorable men bear wit
ness to that, and II their evidence had
been lacking a glance at the paraders
would have been convincing enough,
In several suras Of the Koran it is
written that men who walk in the
brightness of faith are greatly exalted.
Such in simple truth were the men
who walked yesterday 1t is difficult
to enlarge on this. the spiritual side OF
the demonstration. Here were $4,000
of the finest types of citizenhOod. the
best sort of material for soldiers in the
ccuntry's need. al Gen. Wood was
quick to see, VINO came from their
clerks desks and their workmen's
benches and their executive Offices
rich and poor. famous and Obscure
and went shoulder to shoulder In
a splendid level Of patriotic zeal.
Trough and through the parade was
fraught with warning and heavy with
significance.
II was absolutely non-partisan. The
SCI ried files Of men which came swing
ing up the sun bathed avenue past the
reviewing stand from 1880 A. NJ. until
Z i. M.-thc $4,000 men OF the trades
and the professions who marched In
! the sixty-three divisions OF the civilian
parade---didn't give moments 8
thought to party politics. They didn't
care rap who was Republican or
Democrat or Bull Moose. But they
knew that they themselves were down