Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-01-25
president TALKS ON
PREPAREDNESS
Visited by Maryland Delega-
tiOn Wilson Makes Ex-
tended Address

sun thAS oAhNihooh uVOloitu ihdL per
haps the real solution of the prepared
ness problem might be standing army
of professional soldiers of sufficient
size to give real preparedness.
The president was strongly urged by
the delegation to take immediate steps
toward building up the United States
army.
Basiug their arguments on Secretary
Lansing's recent statement that this
country is drifting toward the verge
of war" they urged the president to
compel some form of universal train
ing"
The Maryland delegates, backed by
Boston delegates, declared the present
voluntary system" upon which the
country is now relying sis utterly in
adequate" and disgrace to a civil
lied people"
The Marylanders declared four de-
fensive weakness was such that in ease
of invasion our people might be sub
jected to all the horrors which have be-
fallen Belgium, Poland, Serbia and
Northern France"
An extra session to consider national
defense was today demanded before
the congress of constructive patriotism
of the league by S. Stanwood Menkeni
chairman the congress.
''The failure" of the last two years
to produce anything definite to
ward the successful defense Of the
country, - Menken said, necessitated a
o1 pf hn yF.otIl1
be undivided and politics eliminated
The president voiced his opposition
to compulsory universal military cerv-
ice in the United States.
He said that such system does not
meet the "difficulties facing the
country in its efforts to establish ade.
quate delense.
At the same time he admitted that
"physical training is needed and de-
clared the legislative and executive
branches of the government are giving
SERIOUS consideration to what is the
wise thing for the defense of the coun
try"
| The president made his declarations
regarding preparedness to representa-
tives of the National Security League
who called to urge some form of uni
versal training.
The president opened his remarks by
saying he would have been more i'm
pressed by the delegation's conten
tentions if they had been expressed
"in more restrained language. "
"From some of the unqualified state
ments in this paper 1 must frank.
dissent" the president said. ." thinl
it due to my colleagues on the hill t
say that this off-hand condemnation o
the system which they adopted afte
long debate upon the urgency of many
of the leading citizens of the country
is the least that can do. You do no
command a cause which deserves th'
most serious consideration by present
ing it as you have presented it.
HAny brief services in the army o.
the United States withdraws men from
civil pursuits just as much as the re
cent services on the border does. M
service except standing army witt
professional soldiers prevents that oc
casional and frequent withdrawal o
men from civil pursuits. 1t may be in
evitable, but what you are proposing
does not meet the difficulty which yol
condemn. These things are of the ut
most intricacy and difficulty and ar
not to be settled ex-cathedra. And ye
Notwithstanding the fact that 1 thinl
you have gone too far, I will say 10
YOU, that of course this will have m,
most serious consideration.
1t is receiving serious consider
alton with the country and we i
Washington, of course, share and fee
the great tides of opinion in tn
United States.
Il am sure that speaking-if l ma
speak for the members of the house 0
representatives and the senate-we ar
all desirous of doing the wise thing fo
the defense of the country and it mus
and will be done, but we must not clos
debate by having too dogmatic a
opinion as to method.
az know that you will understan
the spirit in which l make that pre-
test and this statement.
'These things impress me the NOR
after what We have heard from tn
medical societies. Unquestionabl
physical training is needed and will az
complish a great deal but it can be ha
without compulsory military servic
and compulsory service does not NEE
the difficulties which you have alluC
ed to.'
The cutter impotence" of tn
| United States to defend itself agains
! world power is apparent to all thinl
ing men since the outbreak of tn
European war, Judge Alton B. Parke
former democratic presidential eand
date and chairman of the leagues col
Yention, declared.
Immediate preparedness, he said,
the first step in the task of insurin
youths and homes against war just q
we insure our dwellings against fire.
I'VE continued to muddle along,
he said, emphasizing the need for d.
fense, "until the people at last su'
, ceeded in making their protests hear
! above declamations Of those who urg
that to avoid war we need only TO fo
low in the footsteps Of righteousnt
and cultivate a Christian spirit. Chin
tried that method Now she wishe
she had done more. For who can te