The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-03
NAVY FOR u. S.

Continued from Page One.J
material. 1t is not my fault if the
fire spreads. The danger is not from
within but from without.
THE commanders of submarines,
for the most part, are in accord with
law of nations, but the act of one
commander may set the world on fire.
There are cargoes of wheat and
cotton and manufactured articles on
the sea and every one of them may
cause trouble because they go into the
zone of fire.
America has drawn no fine points,
no new issues, in her international re-
latiOns; she has merely asserted the
rights of mankind when the life of
mankind is threatened in a world
afiame with war She has rested upon
what is already written plain on the
documents of international law"
The crowd cheered. The president
said that some day statesmen of the
older countries would have to admit
that it was America that kept burning
the flame of international law upon,
its altar when every other altar in the
world was swept by the winds of pas
sion"
Tempers Upset by War.
4 am ready to make every patient
allowance he continued, for those
whose tempers are upset by war
Il am not in critical frame of
mind. 1 am ready to yield everything
but the vital points
Il am ready to make allowances for
both sides. You know how one set
of belligerents is shut off from the
rest of the world Therefore the
United States is not able to express
itself toward them as they would like.
1 believe the United States is really
neutral.
Men press forward with a sort of
blind recklessness The peace of the
world, including America rests with
L.
with America. Now mere is the choice
We have; here is the alternative. Eth
er we shall sit still and wait for the
necessity fer Immediate national de-
Tense to come and then call for vol
unteers who would be, for the first
few months, impotent as against a
trained and experienced enemy. Or,
we shall adopt the ancient American
principle that the men of the country
shall be ready to take care of ---ir
own government.
Crowd ROars Approval.
The crowd roared it's approval
You have either got to get the men
of this nation ready to withstand the
first onslaught or you have got to be
ready to suffer from the first dis
aSter."
When the president said he was
only asking for a trained citizenship
he was cheered. He said he did not
want to command a great army but to
command the support of the conf
dence of his fellow citizens, He urged
it would be cruel to send unframed
men int0 battle
The plans now before congress are
merely plans to save the lives of
American youths he said. And
these plans will go through 1 am
not insisting on the details but on the
principle.
The modern fighting ship, sub
marine-every instrument of modern
warfare-must be handled by experts
All we are asking for now IS a suf-
ficient number Of experts and suf-
ficient number of vessels at their dis
posal.
We Will Have More Ships.
There is no better service in the
world than the service of the United
States navy. But the navy must have
more ships and we are going to give
the navy the ships it needs.
I'VE are going to have more ships
We have been going about it leisurely
but now we must get down to bust
then stick to it. The navy has a great
task.
I'VE ought to have the greatest
navy in the world" he declared amid
great applause. He explained that
the coast line of the United States
was 80 long that many ships We're
needed. The president said there
were many people in the United States
talking about national defense who
did not know what they were talking
about.
The president emphatically reiter-
ated he believed the United States
was with him. He said the living
rooms of the White House do not
face toward the city of Washington,
but toward Virginia and the open
spaces.
Never Another War Like This.
THAT is where l listen for the voice
of America" he declared. Il think 1
have heard that voice say that we
must let no one invade the rights of
America" TIE president ended his
speech amidst applause. The band
played America. He stood and sang.
President Wilson declared here at a
breakfast of the Business Mems league
that he believed there would never be
another war like the present and that
the war will hasten the time of gen
eral peace. He spoke at the breakfast
before going to the Coliseum for his
main address.
Governor Major, of Missouri, sat
next to the president The room was
decorated with American flags. En-
thusiastic applause greeted the presi-
dent.
Next Time to Denver.
The president came from Kansas
City greatly encouraged by the warm
reception accorded him there last
night. Not since he left Washington
have the crowds cheered him so
heartily nor appeared in such num-
bers to welcome him. Verbal re-
sponses of approval came from his
audience frequently as he emphasized
particular points.
The president has not made definite
plans for another trip but some of his
advisers, encouraged by the impress
sion they believe he has made in the
midwest, are urging him to leave
Washington about Feb. II for Denver.
the southwest and the south.