The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-16
FOUR GOVERNORS SPEAK AS ONE IN
 SUPPORT 0F WILSON

New York, october 15.-Four govern
 ors were speakers tonight at the govern ors' conference held in connection W th
 the Southern Commercial congress. Governor Manning of South Carolina
 presided at the conference, which also was addressed by Governors Harrington
 of Maryland, Milliken of Maine and
 Edge of New Jersey, and John Barrett, director general of the Pan American union.
 Governor Manning declared that the
 south stands squarely behind the govern ment in the prosecution of the war md is supporting the second liberty loan
 to the limit. Tn South Carolina, he said, there is no division when it comes to real Americanisnl. less than 1 per cent of the population being foreigners.
 Governor Milliken declared, that the ancient spirit of America still lives, will ing to dare and suffer in a righteous
 cause.
 .'There were those who feared that the
 soil of America was dead, slowly atro- phied through the money grubbng years and then drowned utterly beneath a
 flood of foreign gold he said. New
 Englands response, typical of the na-
 tion's response to the world emergency.
 serves notice on mankind that the
 ancient spirit of America still lives, taht
 her sons are still willing to do and dare and suffer in righteous cause,
 that the soul of Lexington and Bunker
 Hill leaps forth again to champion those
 principles of freedom and democracy ot
 which our flag is the foremost symbol
 in the world.
 Governor Harrington said in part: .sThe people of Maryland are whole heartedly behind the President Hereait-
 CT there must be only one kind of Amer
 jeans from one end of America to the other.
 .T followed the President with some reluctance when the Lusitania was sunk and we did nothing and I fol- lowed him with some reluctance when Mexican soldiers invaded our country and killed American soldiers and we did nothing. But I now thank God that we had a man like Woodrow Wilson at the head of our nation. Ev- cry governor will stand behind him fair and square until victory crowns the American arms and until we have peace that amounts to something.' Modification of the former national guard oath of service to meet war time requirements for new state mi litia was advocated by Governor Edge. He pointed out that if the oath were to remain the same, every man who enlists in the state militia would be pledging himself to service anywhere l in the United States or abroad. It would be difficult to get men | for the new militia Under such condi- tions, he said, because many branches I of the military service are far more attractive than a state militia. The governor said that New Jerseys new oath confines the service within the state, but under federal orders if re- I quired, as we'll as those of the gov ernment If every state organized a new state militia, Governor Edge added, there would be no occasion for l the President to order any part there- l of across state limits.
 ! General Barrett director general oi 1 the pan-American union, declared that when the war is concluded there will come realization that it has accom- plished more than all the diplomatic notes of century to make the Monroe doctrine an unquestioned principle in l the relationship of nations.
 1 'The new pan-America and new pan an-Americanism which will follow the war" said Mir. Barrett, will be SC l powerful in their own inherent 1 strength and backing that nevel
 again can a new menace from the old world assert itself"