New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-19
Secretary of Interior Says
Americas Defeat Is
Unthinkable
Finds No Slackers
In Tour of Nation
Asserts Reports of Anti
War Sentiment Are
Unfounded

Special Correspondence
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 1S.-Franklin
X. Lane, Secretary of the Interior,
aroused the members Of the Philadel-
phis Chamber Of Commerce to-day to a
high pitch of enthusiasm and deter
mined effort to get behind the Second
Liberty Loan. so far as industrial and
commercial Philadelphia was concerned,
at a luncheon in the ballroom Of the
Bellevue Stratford.
Secretary Lane said:
in making trip through the United
/ States as journey of curiosity want
ed TO find out II the reports coming TO
J Washington were true. You all know
the physical situation Of Washington
we are in cup. and all the murmur-
inCs and vaporings Of the country drift
into that cup. making it impossible to
appreciate the situation unless you get
out on the hilltops and plains. And so
! have made a four weeks trip 10 all
those parts of the land whence came
rumors Of disloyalty or lack Of courage.
Found No Slackers
81 went TO find slackers. and | found
10 such men. From the Atlantic to the
Pacific the spirit is the same as here.
in Oklahoma. which had been spoken
Of as the centre of disahection. |
found q town of five thousand inhabi-
tants which had subscribed 5000
for Liberty bonds, and in addition TO
that il subscribed $4,000 to the Red
Cross.
IF We fail it will be because America
hasn't the brains to succeed, and that's
unthinkable TO me.
Il reviewed six thousand Of our new
army az Salt Lake City They had just
had two months training. The grand
son Of Brigham Young stood beside
me. and as his company swung past he
said: Every man in that company has
bought a Liberty bond
81 found another thing that pleased
mel found that the people Of the
United States are right in their ap-
praisement Of their commander in
chief; that everywhere President VII
son has the entire confidence Of the
PEOPLE. regardless OF politics"
In speaking Of the enemy, he de-
clared:
The offence of Germany lies not in
her deeds, but in the fact that she per
spirit OF militarism and absolute power,
and once that spirit is overwhelmed
there is no doubt that the better Ger
many we have known will come
through"
Regarding our progress in the war
he said:
81 have heard people say why have
we not a million men in France
where are the ships TO carry those
men to France?
where are the ships to carry their
munitions their supplies? Each man
requires fifty pounds Of tonnage a day,
and where viii we get that tonnage?
"The answer TO this is, why didn't
you get the ships?'
For fifty years the American flag
has been virtually off the ocean. Our
money has been put out at high rates
&c interest in railways. stree,car lines,
factories and huge buildings When
the war came We were empty handed.
Three years ago September We
urged that the government subsidize
ships, but the country gave no re
Spouse. Not until the war was upon
US have We been able 10 adopt a policy
which will meet the conditions Of war
and slowly but surely restore our flag
10 the seven seas. Then Will come the
day when we will have goods made in
America carried to every port by ships
made in America.
by next March we will have ,000,-
600 new tons of shipping. and by next
summer the programme will have de-
velOped to an equivalent of the launch
ing of two 5,00O-ton ships daily.
"If we have been indifferent to this
need in the past il is not because our
attention has not been called 10 II.
We want 20 see this thing through,
and the best argument for selling the
Liberty bonds is that the sooner the
money is put up the sooner the boys
will come back
Praises Sacrifice of Interests
q "No better exhibition of patriotism
IS afforded than that Of those men who
have sacrificed their interests and
come. not in DlatOons, but IN armies,
TO Washington TO place their services
az the disposal of the government after
they lave spent years in building up
marvellous organizations.
There are some who protest because
Of the burden of taxation. They have
no right 10 criticise at this time. No
man has the right 70, unless he wants
to be stamped with those we call the
!. W. W.
when the President and Congress
declare war the last word is spoken.
The means chosen by the govern
ment must be supported. or we retro
grade.
"The United States has the backbone
60 cao THE ,biuc, III rouOh and ora