The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-11-02
AMERICAN DEFENSE
 SOCIETY ADOPTS WAR PLATFORM
Eight Things Considered Necessary for Successful Conduct of the Fight
 Against Germany

New York, November LA platform. of eight blanks designed as con. structive programme for the prosecu- ton of the war to a definite victory has been adopted by the American De- fense society, it was announced today and will be submitted for discussion and approval to the chambers of com merce throughout the country and to the Chamber of Commerce of the Unit ted States at Washington. The ptr pose of the committee of the American | Defense society. which drew up the programme, Is announced to be to solidify the nation in the prosecution of the war. The proposals advocated by the society in It's war platform are:
 That the administration at Wash l ington be urged to send an overwhelm- ing force to France.
 To intern alien enemies and enemy sympathizers whose conduct imperils or impedes the war
 1 To warn Germany that departures | by her from the rules of war will not be endured
 l To forbid the publication of news papers and magazines in the German language during the war 1 That Congress be asked at it's next 1 session to declare that state of war exists with Austria. Bulgaria and Tur- ! key; to eXpel any disloyaI members and to enact 8 law prohibiting the is suance of new securities except by federal license.
 1 It is recommended to "vartous au- l thorities" that they forbid the com | nIllSnrV q I~a hA 1 schools.
 | In its preamble to the platform the American Defense society asserts that l 1t Is "gratified at various steps taken by the administration, Congress and throughout the nation on matters bear 1 ing on the war against Germany and her allies and desiring that the war be prosecuted to definite victory, and the nation solidified to that end, urges l the foregoing steps.
 1 The society's statement adds:
 Great Britain, With population of about 5o000,000 and Trance with a 1 population of some 40, 900 900 have al- oo0,O0o and 6.Ooo,00o men. respectively ] and have borne the burden of the 1 struggle for more than three years. II America should send over even 10.- 0o0.on0 men from it's population of over 100,0So,o00 1t would not, in our judgment. | be doing more than an equivalent ! share. For America to send an over
 whelming force should also hasten Germany's realization of the hopeless ness of her cause and materially short en the war. The more men we send
 the fewer will be slain.
 The examples that Germany has given of the course which the doctrine
 of military necessity has inpelled her
 to follow surely justify a warning that departures by her from the rulesyct
 warfare will not be endured, and if
 given we may look for an adhering on her part to civilized warfare. As 1t
 will protect our forces in the field and
 our people both at home and on the
 high seas, is 1t not better to warn
 now than to be compelled to act
 later?'
 In advocating that Congress declare
 that a state of war exists with Austria.
 Bulgaria and Turkey, the statement
 says: Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey
 have been practically absorbed for all
 warlike purposes by Germany. Their active cooperation in war with Ger
 many demands, we believe, such action
 on our part against them. Many Aus
 trians have been active in plots against
 the United States There is not alone
 impropriety but also peril in the con-
 unuation Of Bulgaria's embassy. It is
 intoerable that America should not as-
 sume the fullest championship of the
 unhappy Armenians against the butch
 CTS Of their defenseless people,"
 In requesting taht Congress expeI any
 disloyal members. the society asks: | Why send the nations youth to the
 battlefield. and at the same time per-
 init any man to set, from the vantage
 point of high position. back-fires which will bring death to increasing thousands of our men by weakening support iron,
 behind the lines and by strengthening
 the enemy to renewed endeavor?"