Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-10-19
FIRST SESSION IS HELD
AT HIGH SCHOOL.
AUDITORIUM
CONG. FESS SPEAKS
OHIO STATESMAN DELIVERS
OPENING TALK SPECIAL
TRAINS FROM WEST BRING
MANY INSTRUCTORS THIS
MORNING.

The large auditorium at the high
school was filled last night for he
first session of the Illinois Valley Di.
vision OF the State Teachers Insti.
titute. This was the only meeting
during the entire institute, and the
people OF Ottawa took advantage of
this. and turned out in goodly num-
bers The high school orchestra,
which Is always favorite attraction
with the music lovers OF this city,
played numbers that were greatly en-.
joyed, by every one that heard them
This was followed by very pictures.
que folk dance given by the pupils of
the eighth grade. The little folks
danced gracefully and 1t was a beau.
tiful sight to watch the figures OF
the dance as the children passed back
and forth with their red, white and
blue streamers.
Rev. John +. Vonckx, of this city,
made the invocation in most impres.
sive manner.
The speaker Of the evening, Con.
gressman 8. c. Fess, OF yellow
Springs. Ohio, was introduced by the
president, T. J. Mccormick, Of La
Sale. Who In few well chosen
words explained how the people gen.
orally In older times thought school.
master. was the last choice for all
public purposes. But how In modern
times we chose all our noted men
public speakers. statesmen, prime
ministers. congressman, governors and
even the president of the United
States from the profession of teach.
er
Congressman Fess made one of the
strongest patriotic addresses that was
ever delivered in this city. He has
been In Washington during all the
events leading to the present crisis
in this worlds war, and speaks with
the courage and conviction of one
who knows his subject thoroughly, II
there had been a single person in the
house last night, who in his or her
secret heart, was German sympa
thiser the chances are they would
have left there after the meeting thor
oughly loyal to this country, so plain
and. strong was this patriotic talh
made
He explained how he accepted tht
invitation to come to Ottawa to make
this address readily, when he learn
ed what the subject was to be. because
he did not think enough could be sale
on the subject of why the entire worlt
was at war and he was entirely will
ing to travel great distance to ex
plain to the public why 1t seems II
the people of Washington that three
fourths of the world has taken VI
arms and is fighting. Most peopl
thought In the beginning of the figh
the war would be OF very short dura
tion. 1t did not seem possible wit
all our modern warfare the war coul
last as Kitchner predicted in the be
ginning of the struggle, three years
but now after three years of fightin
people that have followed the situs
tion closely believed the war is jus
as likely to be long drawn out. as
IL to be of short duration.
The causes OF the United States b'
ing drawn into the war were discusse
at length, by Mr.. Fess who declare
we're in the war now and the onl
way we can get out Of It Is to
straight through with It,"
The presidents action in asking III
helligerent nations to explain he
proposed methods and usages OF n
val warfare In the beginning OF tn
war was next taken up and trace
stage by stage until such a time as
WAS HtCesSdIy AOi Oui PioSiuOh.
ask the secretary of state to hold q
nations Of the world to strict al
ance upon the usage and the rules
the international warfare. The I'm
ed States could not hold any count
Of the world to this alliance unless
practiced 1t ourselves, and II. as Gt
many wished us to, we had refus
to sell England munitions we wou
have been breaking this information
treaty by not allowing free trade
all times we were as willing and rea
to sell Germany munitions and FOX
but Germany could not deliver u
cargo on account Of the British blot
ade, conducted In strict observance
the international alliance, saying II
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