The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1916-02-09
1t Must Be Preserved At
All Hazards.
SHALL OUR FLAG Be STAINED
With Impunity?" He Asks a
Vast Crowd Of Enthusi.
astic Listeners.
MIDDLE WEST IS FOR DEFENSE

dent Wilson, in addressing the larg-
est audience here of his present
trip, in which he is advocating pre-
paredness, asked this question:: do
you want the situation to be such
that all the President can do is to
write messages and utter words of
protest."
"Why, to ask that question is to
answer it," he said.
whenever international law is
violated by one or the other bellig-
erents,'' the President said, "Amer-
lea is called upon to register a
voice of protest, of insistence.'
do you want the situation to be
such that all the President can do is
to write messages and utter words
of protest? If these breaches of in
ternational law, which are in daily
danger of occurring, should touch
the very honor of the United States.
do you wish to do nothing about it?
Do you wish to have all the world
say that the flag of the United States
can be stained with impunity? Why,
to ask the question is to answer it.
81 know there is not a man or
xx-ftl, in hn hna rin nf
voice who would wish peace at the
expense of the honor of the United
States"
The Presidents address was pune
tuated with thunderous applause.
He spoke slowly and gravely, with
emphatic gestures to enforce his
words. His declaration that the
United States wanted peace drew a
quick response, and his assertion
that the self-respect of the nation
must be preserved elected another
great demonstration from the crowd
of 5000. 1t was estimated that TO-
600 people were turned away.
The President declared he was
trying to weigh carefully every word
he said. He reiterated that he had
been daily charged to keep the coun-
try out of war and also to uphold its
honor.
and many a night when it has
seemed impossible for me to sleep"
he said, because of the apparently
inextricable difficulties into which
our international relations were
drifting, / have said to myself, 4
wonder if the people of the United
States fully know what that man.
date means to me- And then sleep
has come; because knew that there
was not community in America
that would not stand behind me in
maintaining the honor of the United
States.
THE difficulty of keeping America
at peace during the titanic struggle
across the sea cannot be disclosed
now; perhaps it never can be dis
closed. How anxious and how diff
cult this task has been! But my
heart has been in it. / have not
grudged a single burden that has
been placed upon me with that end
in view. For | know that not only
my own heart. but the heart of all
America was in the cause of peace
There are actually men in Amer
lea who are preaching war, the
President declared; men who want
the United States to have entangling
alliances abroad. He said he did
not think they spoke the voice of
America, which he declared to be
for peace.
He added that others go further |
than he in advocating peace. "They |
preach the doctrine of peace at any
price," he added. while men i'm the
auditorium called Never! Never!"
He said these men did not know the
circumstances of the world.
America cannot be an ostrich |
with its head in the sand" ne said. |
The President declared he hoped
If this war had no other result it
would create an international tribu-
nal to settle questions which cause
war. His declaration that he had
found the people of the Middle West
for preparedness. drew long ap-
plause.
Someone who does not know our
fellow citizens as well as he ought
to know them told me there was a
certain degree of Indifference and
lethargy In the Middle West with
regard to the defense of the nation"
he declared. II said I did not be-
lieve It. but was going out to see. II
have seen what I expected to sse--
great bodies Of serious men and
, women coming together to show