The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-31

for the tremendous addition TO our war
resources which will rise here in the
near future ! give the visible PROOF
that the navy believes that In prepar-
Ing for terrible war II is taking the
surest means to hiring about an early
and effective peace. Let there be no
fear that rumnrs of peace. or possibl!t-
tics y. cessation of :hc struggle VIII
cause US to remit one moment our &C
tivitics on set and shore In increasing
our armament in strengthening our
fleet. and in every way prparinG for
the conflict. Not until the peace treaty
is actually signed. will we remit one
single item from our program OF prep
aration. Our citizens need have no fyea
that we will be lullcd into any relax
alton. or deceived by the mirage or
peace which is no peace. into slacken-
ing OF our activities. Within month
in almost every shipyard Of tho coun-
try. will be heard the clang of ham
mers as. plate by plate. there rises on
the stocks tho lean black shapes IF
swift and formidable destroyers. the
tHror Of the submarine. Even now, as
we stand here. did we but possess some
magic telephone. we could hear 1t this
moment the thud of n thousand mighty
hammers sharing huge white ingots in
to navy guns. the whir OF n hundred
thousand lathes forming tho shells that
are our answer Ia autocrAcy. In our
own navy yards. night and day. the
work goes on MS fast rs human energy
can drive. There has been sometimes
complaint that we. as n nation, do not
realize that We are at war. but you may
rest assured that the navy has no such
illusion. AS we. today. start building
here the great structures that will
tolo fr,> Q
the future SO everywhere the navy Is
preparing today for that unknown to-
morrow. and will continue to prepare.
Bringing The War Home.
The increase In our navy and It's
varied activities. and the creation Of n
vast army have brought tho war home
to Us all. For it is your war as II Is
mine. Each one Of us has Il personal
interest in it not only as citizens of
The United States whose rights We're in
vaded, whose ships bent on peaceful
missions were sunk without warning.
whose citizens were killed or drowned
by nation which wagcd war on us
without declaring war; but also as CIT
liens Of the world. with an interest in
preserving the rights of humanity and
assuring permanent peace by rcmov-
ing the menace Of aggressive autocracy.
Why We Plight.
It seems hardly necessary for mo.
after the wonderfully clear and vigor-
aus declaration Of our President. to at
tempt To define what We are lighting
for ] think It Is now clear In the
minds Of every ono We fight not only
for our own place but for the place ct
every democratic nation. In the sun
shine. clear lifc-givlng sunshine Of
democracy. of real government. for the
people. by. the people. Germany be-
gan this war for "A place in the SUM-"
II has conducted It with the idea that
it must have the place in the sun and
the only place. We believe there can
he no place in thc sunshine for any ma
tion upon earth underneath the ominous
shadow of the Prussian Eagle, no SUM-
shine even for the people of Germany
themselves. The historian Of the fu-
ture will note that in fighting for the
right To live and grow on the part Of
our own people. on the part Of Belgium
on tho part Of all the democratic ma
lions Of the earth. we are lighting also
the great battle Of the people Of the
German empire themselves. Cnmovcd
by possibility OF material ADVANTAGE or
conquest patient amid aggravation and
aggression. hoping against hope until
the last moment that this madness Of
the Imperial German government
would pass away. America has at last.
drawn her sword. not only for her own
rights. not only for her own existence,
by for the very existence Of freedom
itself upon the arth. And IT will not
be shcathed until victory Is Won.
Following the speeches. Former Gov
"rnor William \. McCorklc OF West
Virginia. entertained at his home with y
reception for III" VISITORS In tho 70
ceivinE line. which greeted approxtmat g.
~ Fifteen hundred people. were: Sec
rotary Daniels. Mrs. ". ~ MacCorkla
Hon. John J. Cornwell. Mrs. Daniels.
Rear Admiral Frank F. Fletcher. Mrs.
Thomas A. Kearney. Mrs. Fletcher.
Commander Kearney. Mrs. r. E. Bnk-
enhus. Senator W. T.. Chiffon. Com
rlander Rakcnhus and Captain Frank Fl.
Clark