The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-03
Crowd at st. Louis Today Esti-
mated at $4,000.
Ends Preparedness Trip: in
Capital Tomorrow.
SECOND JAUNT ABOUT FEB. II
Declares He Finds West Ap-
proves Defense Plan.
Business Mems League Favored
With Breakfast Speech.

st. Louis. Feb. 3.-President Wilson
today told an audience of $4,000 which
swayed with a tumult of cheering at
his feet that the United States should
have the greatest navy in the world.
II believe the navy of the United
States should be incomparabIy' he
said; 1.-The greatest in the worId.'
The president declared that subma-
rine commanders abroad have instruc-
dons which for the most part conform
with international law but that the
act OF one commander might set the
world afire including America.
Upon the ocean there are hundreds
of cargoes of American goods" he
said. cotton. grain. and all the boun-
tiful supplies America is sending out
to the world. Any one of these cargoes.
any one of those ships, may be the
point of contact that will bring Amer
lea into the war"
United States Really Neutral
For the first time during the tour
the president told of how one set of
belligerents was cut off from the
world. He said this kept the United
States from helping them as it would
like He made the statement i'm try
ing to show that the United States real
ly is neutral
An hour before the time set for tho
president to speak the hall was crowd
ed and the jam of those outside ex-
tended several blocks away. The
crowd at the doors choked the streets
/ and an overflow estimated at 30.e0e
was turned away.
Five hundred policemen. son fire.
men kept the crowd inside in order
7 1he Coliseum was decorated with
bunting and streamers of green vines
which radiated in festoons from the
center of the roof City employees
had half holiday and all the schools
We're dismissed for the day. A school
/ chorus of 1.500 tucked away in a cor
/ ner. sang national airs.
/ As the president entered the crowd
cheered wildly. The band stiIled the
applause with the strains of The Star
Spangled Banner
President Sings With Crowd.
I The words of the song came from
the big chorus and the audience
caught the air. The whole gathering.
with countless small flags fIutterinp
stood and sang, the president Joining.
President Wilson began speak, at
: the Coliseum at 1851 a. m He
opened with the statement that he had
''come seeking something in the mid
( die west and found it," He said he
had been told the middle west was
against preparedness but he did not
believe it
II knew the people of the middle
! west were just as patriotic as the rest
+ of the nation,' he said
America is at peace with all the
world because she is the friend of all
the world. Tho friendship is gen
uine. We are the friend OF all the
i world because we are made up of all
the world and understand all the
( world.
We believe we can show our
friendship for the world better bv
keeping out of this struggle than nv
I getting into it. ] do not misread the
spirit of America. We ere disciples
of peace already and no man need
preach that gospel to us
War Like "a Flame.
Suppose my neighbor's house il m
fire ard the roof is of combustibIe
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