Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-03-03
Begin Two-Day Session for
the Discussion of Ma
tionaI Defense.
NOTED MEN AND WOMEN
ARE SCHEDULED TO SPEAK
Among Addresses Are Those of Cor
nelius Vanderbilt and John
Purroy Mitchell.

illd Is, lOllpOSeQ VI HidyOlS dliu
delegates appointed by them
from many OF the large cities OF
the country assembled here today
for a two-day session for the dis
cussion of preparedness for ma
tional defense.
On the program for today were
Mayor Mitchell of New York and
Cornelius Vanderbilt. chairman
OF the New York Defense
Committee of One Thousand !;
George M. Brown OF the St. Louis
branch OF the National Security
League, who was to speak on
General and Industrial Pre-
paredness;" Mayor Curley of
Boston, Richard L. Metcalf OF
Omaha, Mrs. Philip n. Moore Of
St. Louis. president of the Ma
tional Council of Women and for
mer president of the General Fed
Grafton of Womens Clubs; Henry
A. Wise Wood, Henry L. West
of New York, executive secretary
of the National Security League !;
Mayor George ]. Karb of Column
bus, Ohio; Prof. Roland G..
Usher of Washington University,
St. Louis, who was to speak on
The European View of the Mon
roe Doctrine;;' Mayor c. f. Sc
bastien of Los Angeles, who was
to speak on "Protection of the
Pacific Coast Mayor Behrman
of New Orleans, Mayor O. II.
Bentley OF Wichita, Kan; Mayor
Jonas Fisher of Williamsport,
Pa, and Mayor Louis P. Fuhr-
man of Buffalo.
Speakers at Tomorrow's Session.
| Mayor William Hale Thompson of
Chicago has been asked to preside at
| the first session Saturday. Addresses
are expected from Frederick L. Huide
| koper of Washington, D. C, who will
speak on Military History and Pol
| icy";' Owen Miller of st. Louis. secre-
| tary of the American Federation of
! Musicians, who will speak on Labor
and Preparedness; Mayor James II.
Woodward of Atlanta, Ga; Mrs. Linden
W. Bates of New York. chairman OF the
woman's section of the movement for
national defense: T., L; kirkpatrick,
Kelly. mayor of Toledo. Ohio:
Mayor Mitchell of New York will
preside at the session Saturday after.
noon. Mayor Dahlman OF Omaha will
| speak at that meeting, as will also
| George w. Nickersham former Attor-
ney general of the United States. and
Robert Bacon of Boston, former Secre-
| tary of State.
| A banquet Saturday night will close
| the conference.
Address of Mayor Mitchell.
| Democracy is on trial in the western
hemisphere and the American Congress
must meet the test by establishing. this
year. a complete and adequate national
| defense, Mayor John Purroy Mitchell OF
| New York city declared In an address
| today before the conference. Mayor
Mitchell urged that the conference take
| definite action looking to the effective
| organization of popular opinion in
| home districts and the translation of
| that organized opinion INTO immedIat ate
and direct pressure" upon Congress.
| 1.-The national Congress-. he said, lis
a sensitive body, sensitive to public
| opinion, most sensitive to public opin-
| ion that means votes IN the nome as
| trict This convention represents the
| people Of cities. Its voice is the most
| representative expression of American
| opinion yet had upon this great ques-
| ton. Its delegates have the opportunity
to light. in every community immunity OF. OF our ,u
tellieent public sentiment that will
! warm our Congress into glow OF pa
triotic fervor and endeavor which has
tinxuished body during the past pre-
cious eighteen months.
America No Longer Detached.
| During these months. Mayor Mitchell
declared, the American people have
been "iarred" into a recognition that
their country cannot longer be a de-
,,cbed nation, standing aloof from the
],nternational affairs of other peoples.
and have come to know that the United
States must take her place among
the nations Of the world. on equal foot
ing. or suffer the impairment of her
every interest at home as we'll as in
foreign markets"
AS measures of national defense,
Mayor Mitchell emphasized the need of
a navy equal to that of any other ma
| tion coast defenses. a mobile army of
| strength sufficient to deal with any
foreign invading force, organization of
the nations physical resources. and
universal obligatory male military
| training under federal authority.
Cornelius Vanderbilt for Free Speech
| Freedom of public speech by Ameri-
can naval officers was urged by Cor
nelius Vanderbilt. chairman of New
york city's committee on national de-
tense. The nation faces crisis, Mr.
Vanderbilt said, and the decision of the
,.onle. who he declared. have a right
~ know what our naval officers are
ab,e to tell US. will determine whether
this nation shall be preserved from ex-