The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-24
he AROUSED Them
Senator Watson in Most Flo
uuent Address Last Night.
Patriotic Speech Enthused
1000 at the Auditorium.
THOUGHT AMERICA COWARDLY
Germany Didn't Believe Z. )
Would Fight, He Declares.
Last Session of Secretaries of
State in Topeka Today.

In the most eloquent patriotic
speech heard in Topeka since the
declaration of war, Senator James E.
Watson of Indiana aroused 1000 To-
pekans to wild enthusiasm at the
auditorium Tuesday night. Senator
Watson's speech on "Americanism, y
was the feature attraction of the con-
vention of American Secretaries of
State Hundreds of Topekans, tho,
found seats on the first floor of the
auditorium to hear the arraignment
Of German ideals and German rule.
For more than 90 minutes the In
diana senator directed his guns on
German ideals and principles of gov
eminent He declared Germany
ruthless and inhuman U-boat cam
paign was launched under the belief
that America was too cowardly, too
busy earning money and too unpre-
pared to fight German oppression,
he said was fostered on the teach
ings since the days of Bismarck that
might makes right Citations from
public school books, sermons and
theories of prominent writers were
offered by Senator Watson as he
showed that Germany was educated
to the belief that God ruled where the
emperor sat
yet in this war America has no
wish to embroil herself in the politics
up any form of government, said
Senator watson America is in this
war to see that HohenZollernism is
crushed and that in the end the people
shall have the form of government
they wish.
To Make Europe Respect Flag.
| America is not massing her soldiers
| in sunny France because of petty dis
puteS or to settle the future boundary
| lines in Europe. She is in the fight to
make the American flag respected in
and by all nations of the earth. We
are in this war because no power can
deny to us the freedom of the seas.
We are in this war because human
right and human liberty are at stake,
because the right and freedom OF
American people and the permanency
/ of American government were threat
ened. We are in. 1t is our war. The
/ forums are closed to debate. We are
in this war and we have got to win it
The back doors are locked. The only
way out is straight ahead-and that is
the way we are going. 1t is your war.
my war. If we can't dig a ditch, we
can dig in our pockets. But win this
war we must and we shall"
Closing of Convention.
Many times in the. course of his
| speech, Senator Watson was compelled
to stop until the applause subsid &c
sufficiently to permit the speaker to
proceed me speech came as one OF
the closing features of the annual
convention of secretaries of state, who
have been in Topeka this week Stu
art F. Reed of West Virginia, presi-
dent of the national organization, in
troduced Senator Watson and visit
ing secretaries and their wives sat or
| the platform. Governor Capper also
sat on the platform during the meet
ing.
Sessions of the secretaries conven-
ton are being concluded in Topeka
today. Washington, d. c., will be
the 1918 meeting place for the secre-
taries. Washington won the next
convention in a contest with Denver
st. Louis and San Francisco also
started in the fight for the 1918 gath
ering, but did not finish. Washing.
ton received eight votes and Denver
| four.
A p. Langtry, secretary of state OF
Massachusetts, was named as presi-
dent of the association. William d
Fulton of Ohio was elected secretary
| treasurer, and w. A. Allen of Iowa
was named as vice president