The Washington times., 1916-01-17
DEFENSE PLEA MADE
AS CIVIC BODY MEETS
Preparedness Urged in Striking
Phrases at Opening Session
Of National Federation.
Continued from First PaEel

(Cpntinued from Flrst faBe'l
department, of which Mrs. Archibald
Hopkins IL chairman.
Seth Low urged the young men of
this country to be ready to defend tho
colors. He said the military training
they would receive would aid them IN
everyday occupations and that It would
he of marked benefit to the industrial
life Of the nation.
Changes which have come about IN
transportati tion and communication have
made the United States far more
Vulnerable than ever before. he SAID.
He urged support Of the Administr9-
tion's program, not because v ts Ideal
" perfect" but because It Is "a long
step in the right direction" =.
Favor Swiss System.
81 believe that q. short service unGer
the colors. or, the Swiss system" he
said. "mcdlfed to meet our conditions,
should be required Of every young man
in the United states, and that we
should not longer depend upon an army
which. as in England, strengthens tho
view that &C Is the business Of a few t9
protect all. rather than tho business oil
all to protect each other"
The magnitude OF the European strrS-
gle is such, he argued. that IL will have
a profound effect upon even the non
iIf democracy triumphs," ne said, 'it
! must be a democracy that has learned
how to be efficient. II militar'sm I'll
must bow their necks to- the yoke OF a
militarism which will give the soldier,
: rather than tho citizen, the domination
of the future
taTY spirit less dominSGt than in
Switzerland. yet Switzeriants for her
protection was allie to mobilize all her
men ms quickly as the most mtlitaristic
nation.
German Army Democratic.
"The lesson that seems To me to lie
upon the surface of the European sit
uation is this he said: That Ger
mGnv has shown herself marrel1uS'y
efficient. because. though unde~ an aU-
tocratic. form OF government. she has
made her nrmv thornr ghlv democratic
in tho sense that II embraces the en-
tire manhood Of the nation.
"This has resulted in a spirit of
loyalty to tire country and In the sub
ordination OF the individual to the
country's welfare, which ts the ad-
miration and which ought to be the
inspiration OF every nation in the
world.
ENGLAND. on the other hand. in the
name of democracy, has not only per-
mitted herself 10 be found unprepar-
ed to cope with the problems of her
environment but. while adhering to
the system OF a voluntary army, she
has ENCOURAGED the development of
class interests"
Mr.. Low pointed to the danger of
and suggested military service as the
way to insure the loyalty Of new
comers.
Women Concerned.
Preparedness against war concerns
the women Of this country" said Miss
wetmore.
"They are the ones who carry the
heavy burdens of catastrophe. In war
and In disaster the women and chill
dren are left unprovided, unprepared
for what fate has I'm store for them.
Yet there Is an unpreparedness we
know OF and which has become 20
familiar to uE that our senses are
numb; the unpreparedness OF citizen
ship. 1t seems an odd way to put it,
but how many hundreds OF Thousands
of men and women are Indifferent to
the vital national questions of the
day becauIe of the walls of ignorance
which surround them?"
Patriotism cannot be acquired IN
day, Miss Wetmore said, and she made
n plea for patriotism above person
al and individual self interest"
First, we must know ourselves.
she said. Then squarely face the
perils that Surround u.s."
That judges be chosen apart from
politics, and that the Legislative and
judicial functions OF the Government
be sharply defined. was the gist OF the
address OF Thomas w. Shelton, chair
man OF the Uniform Law Committee
OF the American Bar Association.
Must Be Given Power.
Courts must be permitted. to main
tain their own efficiency" he said. in
discussing the dangers of Congressional
interference with the judiciary.
''The power to direct EFFORT is the
power to dictate result" he added.
Louis B. Schram. chairman OF the
National Committee for the Prevention
OF Industrial Accidents, urged that more
illuminating statistics be gathered upon
the subject.
while doing everything possible for
tho mechanical prevention of accidents"
he said, I'VE ought to keep under con-
sideration the complete problem by re-
qliiring data that bears on proximate
as well as immediate causes of accl-
dents"
He mentioned eye-strain. speed OF
work, fatigue, and exhaustion as some
of these indirect causes.
Monday carries the peak load OF ac-
cidents, with the inference of Sunday
dissipation" he said.
He said that, while twenty-six states
have accepted the principles OF work
mems compensation. only one has
lighting and but thVee asked for an
injured PERSONS statement. Among the
more important of the hidden causes
OF industrial accidents, he satd. Is
fatigue. and only two States ask for
such information. Another cause is IN
experience in the work performed, and
New York is the only State which IN
quires into that.
Helped Legislators.
August Belmont. in making his report
as chairman of the workmen's COM
pensation department. said his depart
ment had been constantly active in
helping legislators plan drafts OF COM
DeAS0tion laws and in helping boards
have charge OF the enforcement Of exist
ing laws.
Beginning with the year 19OS.'' he
said, I'VE have been continuously an
active educatlopal agency, developing
new drafts OF model State laws In the
, interest OF uniformity as changing
events warranted such &C ion"
District Section of
Federation Is Praised