The Washington times., 1917-11-19
lust TODAYLEFT
. FOR YIN. c. A. TO
RAISE $4,000

With more. than $4,000 to raise today.
the last day Of their campaign for $780,
COO. District Y. N. C. A workers were
active today as never before
''of course. we are going to raise the
fun quota by tonight corcoran Thorn
said today to a reporter for The Times.
We have got 1t to do. that's all. One
subscriber. has promised $4,000 as soon
as We raise another $4,000 to match it."
The fund took a $l4.5O0 bound. and
Washington people learned many things
about the war and how important II was
TO support the Y. NJ. c. A, when ex-
President William H. Taft spoke at the
rally at the Belasco Theater yesterday.
The thousands were subscribed in the
name -ef Mr. Tafrs team" while the
former President sat on the stage after
his stirring speech and smiled his ap-
Stauneh Aid To Fighters.
''The person who said that We must
support the Y NJ. C. A in order to bring
this war to a successful close vas right"
said Mr. Taft The Y. NJ. c. A at the
front Is not an experiment It Is one
OF the most powerful and efficient Of
our fighting forces, and must be sup
ported as SUCH
more than 1000, with hundreds OF
others crowding outside the entrance,
when he told the causes that led the
United States to declare war. Wit,
logic. and force were the elements
that made his speech one that will re-
main In the minds of Washington
people long after the Y. N. c. A cam
paign has been brought to success
full close.
"An obsession that has driven sim
pie, peaceful people insane is the
thing that we are fighting" declared
Mr.. Taft "Such an insanity Is the
only thing that could have turned
the ordinarily peaceful German race
into a barbaric and soullAcking horde.
The German people are obsessed with
their 'Kultur' The only way to get
rid Of a mad dog running amuck Is
to XIII It. The only way to get rid Of
the spirit that is menacing the world
is to lick German 'Kultur.'
wIIsoass Words Quoted.
"when President Wilson said that
we were in this war to make the
world safe for democracy he made
Q perfectly accurate statement of the
case. But his statement has been
grossly misinterpreted by many per
sons Mr.. Wilson did not mean that
we we're going into the war like
knight-errant trying 10 force our
form Of government on the world. He
meant that the German spirit, ftching
for world domination. is menacing the
peace Of the world. and will continue
to do so as long as 1t is allowed to
live. What we are going to do Is to
wipe out that spirit-the German 'Kul-
tur' We must eliminate the military
and foreign policy Of Germany"
Frequent witticiFms spiced the for
meT Presidents speech throughout
He raped pacifists, particularly the
ones with the judicial attitudes" He
said that many 2, opIe unconsciously
had the pacificiss'S spirit simply be-
cause they aid not understand the Is
sues In the war.
Loyal Americans should carefully
inform themselves on the immense
issues at stake in order that they
may be proof against the Illogical
arguments of the conscious or un-
conscious pacifis-" said Mr.. Taft
when an argurnent deadly to the
war spirit OF the country is advanced,
the man that advances the argument
should be struck between the eyes
not with the fist. bu- with reason"
Party LInea Are Wiped Ont.
Mr. Taft drew shouts as well as
loud applause from the thousands OF
listeners when he said: There are
no Republicans and there are no
Democrats now. We are all simply
Americans. No one car tell how long
the war will last. All we can do
is to make up our minds that we
will be there at the end"
Corcoran Thorn introduced Mr.. Taft
as a man who alwayE had the inter
est of the District al heart, and of
whom the people here had every
reason to be proud. Music was given
by the Marine Band. Choral singing
led by Kenneth Clark ADDED much to
the rally. English and American war
songs were sung.
The large number OF soldiers OF all
the allies in the audience was notable.
A number OF British "tommies" were
allowed to pass the hat for the Y. NJ
C. A fund. When they secured $125
the audience clapped its delight Of
ficers and privates crowded every
floor of the theater.
Gifts Made Mt 1000 . Minute.
Nearly $4,000 was collected for the
fund at the rate OF 81 600 a minute.
Mrs. r. K Hegeman started the aft
erpcon's subscription with $1,000. F..
L. Howe. director of the campaign,
said that "a friend in New York"
would give $4,000 to the fund IL the