South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-01-27
REPAREDNESS IS
SPEAKERS TOPIC
Trouble Results at Patriotism
Meeting When Delegate
Attacks Roots Speech.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-The full
scope of national preparedness ideas
now abroad in the country, reaching
from universal military service for
men 10 registration of the nations
woman power against a war emer-
gency, was spread before delegates
to the congress of constructive pa
triotism here Friday and Friday
night by enthusiastically applauded
speakers.
During the sessions Sen. Duncan
L. Fletcher of Florida, Walter c.
Piper of Detroit, Hermann Hage-
dorm, jr. OF Fairfield, Conn, Miss
Grace Parker of New York. Charles
Nagel of st. Louis, former secre-
tary of commerce and labor, took
occasion TO declare emphatically
their allegiance to the cause of uni
versal military training and service.
Letters were read from Theodore
Roosevelt and Gov. Edge of New
Jersey, expressing the same view.
Mr.. Hagedorn expressed the key
ed that education toward citizenship
was the vital part of any national
preparedness the only hope of the
abolition of war.
Attacks Root.
The congress was thrown into an
uprOar late Friday when Ludwig
Nissen. a Brooklyn importer, attack
ed Elihu Root for his speech al
Thursday nights session denouncing
Germany. Amid Kisses and repeated
interruptions. Nissen declared the
address, while it might have been a
great utterance if delivered at the
proper place, was the rankest out
rage ever permitted and perpetrated
upon an American audience on this
particular occasion, under the guise
of American patriotism"
Cries of no" and sit down
greeted this declaration, and while
the chairman tried Intellectually to
restore order. Nissen shouted that
lie simply was protesting against
turning the conference into a pro
ally propaganda, and went on TO say
that mo paid prOpagandists coulc
possibly have spoken more effective
ly for an English propaganda thar
Sen. Root did here Thursday night
81 know / will be derided, he
continued. when the kissing agar
| had subsidized, and / know what
am saying here today will not b'
reported by the newspapers because
| the newspapers will not print bi
OF news that is favorable 10 Ger
many. If they 90. they will lose their
/ financial advertisements and every
one of them is subsidized"
The speaker then began a defense
4 Of the German invasion of Belgium
/ but was interrupted by a motion Il
adjourn. After the motion had beer
/ seconded the chairman interviewed
with plea that Nissen be permit
ted to finish, and the audience agair
was quieted. The kissing and inter
moment later and continued unit
the end of the short address.
sen Root and Judge Parker
both referred 10 Germany's action as
a crime" said Nissen. There was nc
crime. because there never was a
guarantee. In 1889. England. France
Austria, Prussia and Russia entered
into an agreement TO respect the
neutrality OF Belgium. That neutra-
lily was respected up TO the time of
1870. when Emperor Napoleon de-
clared war on Germany. At that
time no less a statesman than VIII
lam r. Gladstone said. as prime
minister OF England, in the West
minister parliament that that agree
ment could not be considered bind
Ing upon either of the parties TO it.
What else happened? Gentlemen.
YOU don't want 10 hear the truth
At this point IL was announced that
the time allotted Mr. Nissen. who
had arisen under a rule permitting
five minute discussions by the audi
ence had expired He sat down in
the midst OF a tumult. while a
motion was pending 10 dispense with
further speeches from other than
invited speakers. unless they indicat-
ed before hand the nature OF their
remarks.