Gilpin observer., 1916-02-03
U. s. NAVY is READY FOR
WAR ASSERTS PRESIDENT

Chicago, Jan. 81. The United
States has made preparations for i'm
mediate war as +; r as tie navy Is
concerned, a.tho the present naval
force Is inadequate in size, President
Wilson declared tonight in an ad-
dress before several thousand per-
sons in tt e auditorium here. 1--WE
mean business, he said, in speak ng
of the preparedness plans OF the
administration.
1--WE have given to the present
fleet of the United States an organ
ization such as it never had before,
l am told by Admiral Fletcher" tie
president said. "And, we have made
preparation for immediate war, so
far as the navy is concerned"
The army, the president said, as at
present constituted. lis not large
enough even for the ordinary duties
of peace"
The president repeated his warn
Strengthening the dsfensese of the
nation. He declared the government
was doing everything & it could for
preparedness.
citizens spread t.rder where the
sparks are falling l wonder what
their ideal of AmeTicanism is" the
president said.
been cruelty misjudged by the ma
tions now at war.
Il know that on tie other side of
the water there as been al great
ieal of cruel misjudgment with re-
gao to the reasors why America
has remained neutral. Those look
ing at us from a distance do not feel
the strong pulses of ideals and prin-
ciples that are in us.
Do Not Feel Conviction.
"They do not feel the conviction
CT America that cur mission is a
mission of peace and that righteous
&
standard in tie midst of arms. They
do not realize that hack of all our
energy We are body CT idealists
much more ready to lay down our
lives for tEorght than for a dollar.
"They suppose, some of them, that
We are holding off because we can
make money while others are dying.
tie most cruel misunderstanding that
any nation has ever had to face-so
wrong tEst it seems armcst useless
to try to correct 1t tecause 1t shows
the very Fundamental of our life are
not comprehended or understo od."
Rulers, not pubic opinion brought
about the present war, Mr.. Wilson
declared.
Il thark God there is no man in
the United States WHO has the au-
thority to bring on war without the
consent of TIE nation" he said.
U. s. Must Assert Laws Principles.
The tack of tie United States he
said. has been to assert the princi-
pies of law in world in which the
principles of law have broken down.
1--WE are not row thinking Of in
vasion of tie territory OF the United
States" the presifent dec'a- ed. 'T'' at
Is not what is making US think. We
are not asking ourselves shall we
he prepared only to defend our own
homes and our own shores.
SIS that all We stand for? To
keep the door shut securely against
our enemies? What about the great
+ trusteeship set up fer liberty CT ma
t'onal government in the whole west
ern hemisphere? We stand pledged
to see that 10th the continents OF
America are left free to be used by
their people as those people choose
to nse them uneer a system OF na-
tional popular sovereignty as abso
lutely unchallenged as our own"
The president arrived in Chicago
from Milwaukee shortly after p. m
and was driven to tire hotel. Later
he went to thr auditorium, which
WIS riot CT red, white and blue
swurg in festoons from rails and box
es. Back CT the stage hung tie Am
erican coat Of AIMS on field Of
blue.
Four galleries beside tie mar
floors. Msny lad sought in vain tt
obtcin tickets and were turned away
Twelve hundred police held in checl
tire side walk throrgs. clearing thu
street entirely of treffic between th'
hotel and the auditorium.
Mayor Thompson OF Chicago occu
pied a SCAT on the stage neer IL.