New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-23
Choate's Mention of Colo
nel's Name Signal for
Storm of Applause.
ADEQUATE DEFENCE
DEMANDED OF WILSON
City's Bankers, Lawyers and
Merchants Call for MObili-
zatiOn of Industries.

Speaking yesterday before the larg-
est session Of the Chamber Of Com
merce OF New York in recent years a
meeting that included 500 OF the city's
biggest bankers. merchants. tradesmen
and lawyers Joseph II. Choate ct
tempted to ask what would have been
the result if such an insult to Ameri-
can citizenship as the Lusitanis out
rage had happened in Roosovelt's ad-
ministration. The audience drowned
his question, half asked, in such a
storm Of applause that the question
was never finished
Mr.. Choate led up 10 his question
by calling the roll OF The great Presi-
dents who would not have let the in
suit 80 unayenged.
you do not suppose that in the sd-
mnistration Of any Of our great Presi-
dents Of the past any such insult, any
such attacks. any such gross violations
Of the dignity and the value Of Ameri-
can citizenship could have occurred as
have been witnessed during the last
eighteen months ?" demanded the
speaker. Certainly ii could not have
been done during the administration Of
George Washington. You do not sup
pose that in Lincoln's time any such
insult could have been given 20 Ameri-
can citizenship in the administra-
ton Of Grant or Cleveland 90
+. RS Name Signal for Applause.
Thus far the audience had listened
in silence Then the speaker contin-
ued: "You don't believe nat in Roose-
velts administration ! But the
sentence was never finished.
The special session Of the Chamber
was called to discuss q resolution call
ing on the President and Congress 10
adopt plans for adequate protection Of
this country advised by the trained
staff Of the army and navy. and TO
organize for defence the highest me-
chanical and scientific knowledge and
technical skill and experience. The
resolution was unanimously adopted.
Speaking Of the resolution. Mr..
Choate said that people must not think
that foreign powers do not know bet
tor than Americans themselves how
miserably inadequate the country's
preparedness is.
"They know that we have not an ade-
ouate army" he said, and they are
reading n the papers to-day that it is
taking pretty much all Of our available
and movable army 20 capture and sup
press single Mexican bandit"
Mans Obligation for Service.
Major General Leonard Wood told
the members Of the Chamber that man
hood suffrage meant manhood obliga-
ton for service, either in the line, the
hospital corps. the aviation corps, the
transport service, or the munltion fac
tories.
I'VE recommend he said. "a reserve
OF 5000 and this means a
trained staff Of $4,000 officers. In time
| think We will come TO either the Swiss
or Australian system OF universal ser
vice, and. with IL, minute organizs
ton Of our industries.
MANY Of you men have been con-
nected with munition contracts and
know how desperate the struggle has
been; and you know how fatally de-
fcctive our equipment has been in
. many instances.
"No amount Of money, no amount OF
willingness. and no number OF men
unless there is preparation, and time
for il amounts 10 much. Undcvcl-
oped resources are Of no more value in
the crush Of a war titan an undeveloped
gold mine in Alaska IN Wall street
Z crieis