Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-04-19
Wilson Issues Personal Appeal to People
Asks the Farmers to Aid.
Chief Executive Tells Them That They Hold the Fate of the
Nation and Asks Every Effort Supply Food-Says
the Supreme Test Has Already Arrived.

Washington, April 17.-In personal
appeal addressed ON Sunday night 10
his fillav cOuntrymen President VIII
son calls upon every American citizen
man, woman and chlld-to join to-
gether to make the nation unit for the
preservation OF its Ideals and for tri-
umph of democracy in the world war
"The supreme test Of the nation has
coma" says the address. I'VE must
all speak, act and serve together"
Putting the navy on war footing
and raising q great army are the slm-
plest parts OF the great task ahead, the
president declares, and he urges all the
people, with particular emphasis OH
his words to the farmers, TO concen-
trate their energies. practice economy
prove unselfishness and demonstrate
efficiency.
Text Of Address
The address follows:
MY fellow 'countrymen:
"The entrance Of our own beloved
country into the grim and terrible war
for democracy and human rights which
has shaken the world creates so many
problems of national Inc and action
which call for immediate consideration
and settlement that hope you Will
permit me to address to you a-few
words of earnest counsel and appeal
with regard to them.
I'VE are rapidly putting our navy
upon an effective war footing and are
about to create and equip great army,
but these are the simplest parts Of the
great task to which we have addressed
ourselves.
"There Is not a single selfish ele-
ment, 40 far as can see, In the cause
we are fighting for. We are fighting
for what we believe and wish to be the
rights Of mankind and for the future
peace and security of the world.
Devote Selves to-ServioO.
"To do this great thing wOrthily and
successfully We must devote ourselves
to the service without regard to pront
or material advantage and with an
energy and intelligence that will rise
to the level Of the enterprise itself.
"These, then, are the things we
must do and do well, besides lighting
the things without which mere fight
Ing would be frultless:
I'VE must supply abundant food Tor
ourselves and for our armies and our
seamen not only, but also for a large
part Of the nations with whom we have
now made common cause, In whose
support and by whose sides we snail
be fighting.
Must Supply Ships.
I'VE must supply ships by the hum
dreds out Of our shlpyards to carry
TO the other side of the sea, subma-
rInes or no submarines, what will every
day be needed there, and abundant
materials out Of our fields and our
mines and our factories with which
not only to clothe and equip our own
forces on land and sea but also TO
clOthe and support our people Tor
whom the gallant fellows under arms
can no longer work, to help clOthe anu
equip the armies with which we are
cooperating in Europe, and to keep
the looms and manufactures there In
raw materials; coal to keep the nres
going in ships at sea and In the fur
naces across the sea; steel out OF
which to make arms and ammunition
both here and there; rails for worn
out, railroads back Of the fighting
fronts; locomotives and rolling stock
to take the place Of those every day
going to pieces; mules, horses, cattle
for labor and for military service;
everything with which the people OF
England and France and Italy and
Russia have usually supplied them
selves, but cannot now afford the men,
the materials or the machinery to
make.
Need Greater Efficiency.
Tits evident to every thinking man
that our industries, in farms, In ship
parda, In the mines, In the factories,
must be made more prolific and more
efficient than ever, and that they must
be more economically managed and
better adapted to the particular re-
Quirements Of our task than they have
been; and what want to say is that
the men and the women who devote
their thought and their energy to these
things will be serving the country and
conducting the fight for peace and free
dom just as truly and just as effective
" as the men on the battlefield or In
the trenches.
Appeal 70 FarnerG
Thousands, nay, hundreds Of thou
- -. nn~Anm - lii.