Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-16
TAFTS CLARION CALL
IN Aid OF WAR FUND
Ex-President Tells Cam d e n
Y. M. c. A. 1t Opens Way to
Freedom From Militarism
NATIONS GREAT CHANCE

Ultimate independence Of militarism By
the United States is seen as a result of the
war by former President William Howard
Taft, who today told the members Of the
Camden Y. NJ. G. A. teams working in be.
half Of the s35O0O,O00 war fund that the
cause us TO become pessimistc and de-
stroy our confidence in final victory. but
rather should stir the nation to greater
efforts to win the war.
The ex-President was In jovial mood
when he arrived at the associations head
quarters, 566 Federal street, accompanied
by +. Wayland Aver, F. Morse Archer, ex-
Sheriff David Baird and c. w. Whitehair,
international secretary of the Y, NJ c. A.
Asked to pose for an EVENING LEDGER
photographer, he replied
Sure, the picture should sell 100000
copies of the paper"
Then. finding that Mr.. Baird. who is the
boss of the Republican Organization in
New Jersey, was not in the group, Mr. Taft
called out:
Come here, Davy; get in this picture.
l need a boss"
Mr.. Taft. in his address to the workers.
praised the educational work of the Y, NJ.
c. A. which, he declared, had taught the
people how TO give and the "tight-wads of
the country how to open"
The ex-President said:
"Now. in this great war that We are
fighting this great war that means SO much
for the world and for us, that means our
ultimate independence of miltarism, there
are three great things that the men behind
the trenches the men, women and children
at home can do. one is to lend their credit
or give their credit TO their own Govern
ment; that we have been doing, Another
is to raise fund that shall look after the
men who are wounded, and that we have
done and expect to do in the future through
the Red Cross. The third and equally i'm
is invidious to make compari-
sons. because they are all indspensable--is
to look after the unwounded men, to keep
up their morale, to give them that at the
front which will enable them to be good
fighters, and enable them to resist the
Of drunkenness, debauchery and
lization, and shall send them into
the trenches TO do the work for their coun-
try and for their God.
THE Y. NJ. C. 4. has taught the coun-
try how to give lntrospectiVely and psy-
chologically It has been a benefit 10 the
men Of wealth of this country that Is not
always appreciated but that could not be
exaggerated The Y. NJ. G. a. has taught
the men who have accumulated money the
real uses OF that money for their own eleva-
ton and for their own intellectual and re-
ligious enjoyment for that is what 1t Is. II
has taught them that they cannot be happy
with that money unless they feel RESPONSE
hilty in respect to 1t and give largely of II
to objects that, having given to, they I'VE
their money again in great increase so far
as enjoyment is concerned. You have
taught the tight-wads of the world and the
country 10 open that is what you have
done in the Y NJ. c, A.
RUSSIAN-ITALIAN CLOUD A SPUR
Clouds hang over our cause in the con-
1tion in Russia and in the condition IN
italy That should not make us pess-
istc. il should not destroy our confidence
n ultimate victory, but we should look
lpon those things as means of stirring
he country to the necessity for effort. in
rider that we may win that victory which
We must win.
We are dealing with public that has
'een atrophed by comfort. by success, by
by money, by ease Of living. in
II corners of the country and In all ranks
f life. and they have to be stirred to
hink in terms OF the country, TO lose their
lass sentiments and selfish aims, to fill
he atmosphere with the war and its OBJ
ect and make it the background Of every
hing they do. SO that other things shall be
My incidental. Now you are the instru-
lents to bring that TO your people in this
ONLY THE BEGINNING
You are only beginning this $4,000, 900
GEMS a large amount; you are winning
our way toward success in that regard
ut this Is only the beginning, and the men
0 whom you go you should not encourage
and you do not, l am sure-by making
hem think that this is the last that they
re to give
This is only the beginning of what they
re to give; and what they are going
Trough is d psychological change on that
cry point.
people say, oh, but the calls are so
nanym They don't know what the calls
ire going to be; they cannot know until
hey go TO England or to Canada or some
,lace where the countries have been
through three years Of this war. and then
hey will know the change and know the
ierce happiness, for that is what It is. of
hose who have lost sons, who have given
over most of what they have: the fierce
happiness that they have in the virtuous
ceiling that they have done their duty,
hat they have stood up for their country
md that they have made the contest for
he world with all that they have, holding
everything subject to the call Of the cause"
Secretary Whitehair. who has Just ar
rived from the front. declared that the
,eople on this side are not worthy to touch
he blood-matted bodies of their boys who
have given their all. and pointed to the
food on the table In front of him with the
remark that such was not knownsa the
front. No butter. sugar. or fuel, the latter
'eing priced at $50 ton. he added, are
seen there.
The secretary described the horrors of
some Of the battles that he had seen from
The y NJ. c. a. posts In the dugouts made
by the enemy's shells. and remarked: "It
ls the worst hell that man ever has con.
pAiVGd G0nRQiVa