Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-05-09
E. c. Dunn REELECTED APPEAL TO VIRGNIANS
Governor Henry c. Stuart Sounds
Clarion Cali to Men of Old Domin-
ion to Act for Nations Defense.

Governor Henry Carter Stuar
last night gave out an appeal to th'
people of Virginia, in which, among
| other things, he says:
In this most solemn hour of oul
national history, when our destiny a:
free people hangs in the balance
it is well that we as Virginians, be
fore entering upon the serious worl
that lies just ahead of US, shoult
take counsel of the obligations thai
rest upon US as people, in order
that we may better understand ant
more efficiently perform the duties
to which we are called by the voice
of the nation.
Virginia is one of the units upor
which the national government relies
for the execution of the military
program under which our army OF
defense is to be raised and sent to
the camp and to the field. The
work entrusted to her must be done
by the use of state and local gov
ernmental machinery, acting as ag-
encies of the national government
The zeal, fidelity and efficiency of
these state agencies will measure the
value Of our first contribution to
the cause of our country.
The president of the United States
has given to mankind a statement Of
our case as nation, in words that
have caught the ear of the world,
and now constitute the accepted
creed not only of every household
in our own land, but of all govern
ments and all peoples everywhere
which are free or desire to be free.
Let us, therefore, approach our task
in the spirit of this great message,
remembering that this is no war Of
wantonness or aggression. We clung
earnestly to peace until peace was no
longer consistent with national
honor or even national existence. The
price of peace was the abandonment
of our transatlantic commerce and
the baniShment of our ships, ou:.
people and our flag from the high
seas.
To pay such a price would have
meant not only the leaving Of the
blood of our slaughtered countrymen
UNDECIDED and unavenged, but would
have meant also the closing of the
markets of the world against our pro-
duets in violation of every reasonable
Interpretation of established inter
national law, an dthus death blow to
our trade and commerce. The wheels
of industry would cease to turn and
the products of field, mine and fac
tory would be without a foreign out
let or profitable market. Our work
ingmen and wage-earners would be
left without remunerative employ
ment or the means of support, and
ruin and hunger would stalk abroad
in our land, hand in hand with ma
tional shame and dishonor.
The struggle upon which we are
called to enter appeals not only to
the patriotic passion, but to the di-
rect material interest of every class
of citizens, and should, therefore, be
fought by every class of citizens.
With this in view, the army will be
made up of men drafted from civil
life by process Of selection, in which
will be taken those men of suitable
age, who may be best spared from
the various fields of useful produc-
ton.
This message is intended to be
strictly personal. These words are not
addressed to your neighbor nor tc
your acquaintances. They are ad'
dressed to you. Your country will
call upon you for some service. The
spirit in which you give it collectively
will make all difference in the con.
duct and outcome of hostilities, ans
will make all the difference in youl
own character and your own con
science in the end.