Norwich bulletin., 1916-05-20


 nectlcut Development committee at the annual meeting held in the Wauregan house on Friday. Over one hundred men, representative of the business in terestS of eastern Connecticut, gather ed in the big dining room at the Wau- regan house for a monday luncheon. Preceding the luncheon, there was an informal reception for tsle speakers and members of the committee.
 The menu, which was served at l2.S0 o'clock, follows:
 Clam Chowder, Manhattan.
 Pilot Bread.
 Baked Stuffed Shad, Italienne Golden Wax Beans. Mashed Potatoes. French Bread.
 Lettuce and Tomato Salad.
 Neapolitan Ice Cream. Assorted Cake.
 Coffee.
 The invocation was pronounced by Rev. Joseph H. Se1den.
 During the luncheon Geers orchestra | furnished 9 concert programme. Mrs. Grace Aldrich-CroWeIl was heard in two very excellently rendered vocal selections. Her numbers were the Spring Waltz Song by Stern and An l Opera Secret, Woodman. She was &C., companied by Miss Ella Potter.
 Vice President Williams Postmaster.
 In the absence of President Crutten- 1 den, who was unable to attend owing to the serious illness of his brother, 1 Vice President L. o. Williams acted as toastmaster
 1 A most cordial welcome to the city l of Norwich was extended the visitors l by His Honor Mayor Timothy c. Mur- l pEly, and President William A. Somers 1 extended the welcome of the Norwich Chamber of Commerce. President | Somers said:
 l The Norwich Chamber of Commerce welcomes the Eastern Connecticut De 1 VeIopment committee today The fact 1 that so many representative business 1 men will come together for a midday meeting, on so short a notice, shows l the cooperative power we have in 1 Norwich. This development commit tee is a wing of the Eastern Connecti- cut Chamber of Commerce, made up o1 eight members from each chamber 1 formed to unite our small townships 1 TOT mutual benefit and future welfare It has been said that when the state appropriations are made eastern Con- ] nectlcut always fails to get its share l Why? Because we have not beer united. We are united today, and I an sure that by cooperative meetings o1 this kind in all townships, with the Eastern Connecticut Development com. mlttee. that we will be strong enough united enough to demand and obtain all that belongs to it.
 Vice President Williams then intro. duced Rev. Joseph H. Selden, wht spoke on the topic Preparedness
 Dr. Selden began his address by nav. T ing tribute to the high character o1 business men, commenting their thrif and enterprise, their courage in deal. ing with hard conditions, their integ. rity,
 As we face the tremendously critica. | issues before if iey 7aT exaggeration to say our best asset is the character of the men who are car. rying forward the business enterprise, of America In the great task we art summoned to undertake our success ol our fa1lure--and failure will involve u, in overwhelming disaster-will bt I very largely determined by them.
 Of the military aspect of the problem of preparedness I shall not attempt tS speak, but one thing seems clear be. yond challenge, our present condition i. not only unsatisfactory, it is intolera ble. Our navy is like crippled bird the inadequacy of our army is revealed in the pitiful story of the presen Mexican campaign.
 We are sadly unprepared to resist in, yasion. If war should come the bes defense we could offer would prove unavailing. Itl'e spectre of an over. : whelming disaster haunts us as WI seek to penetrate the gray veil tha.
 
 But the most serious defect in ou, } national defense is not the lack of ship, and guns and trained soldiers, but tn, want of public sentiment, clear. eyed, confident, inspired by lofty pa, . triotic devotion. We are no longer united people.
 Whether war is to come, or whethe , we are permitted by the great power ) to go our way unchallenged, we mus ; shake ourselves free from a caicuIatins commercial spirit, we must open oui minds to recognize and our hearts tl feel the claims of the commonwealth l TOT we have Ventured upon the SUI preme political experiment, a denocra cy continental in extent, that stand } before the world as the Country of tft T Open Door. IIither men of many ma ticns have come. Every problem o } America is made more difficult by tn presence In this country of an army O aliens, who are Hnassirnilated, larRel- because through pur Aeedlessness am folly they haye been excluded iron the sewing influences that might hay transformed them into true Americana The future in America is in tn hands ef her ph4sinsss men. for the, constitute the most resoIrceful and tn most influential element in ou 5 strongly heterogeneous population Whether war shall come, or we b spared it's horrors, there can be m } escape from domestic contention, whicl 1 will be increasingly bitter if prosperit- l continues, except by a revival of pa Hiotisn, and in this great movenen } they must Iead IFaey must grasp tn l Eeriqueness of this tremendous situa } tipn. put out of mind all interests tiaa are narrow and proFincial, and rise t the level of large hearted. uncalculat I ing devotion to sacred cause to whicl America. stands pledged
 } Rev. MT. Selden was enthusiasticaIt applauded t-the close of his address.