Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-04-25
Wilson Issues Personal Appeal to
the Nation.
ASKS THE FARMERS TO AID
Chief Executive Tells Them That They
Hold the Fate of Nations and Asks
Every Effort TO Supply Food
Says the Supreme Test
Has Arrived.

son calls upon every American citizen
man, woman and child-to join to-
gether to make the nation unit for the
preservation of its ideals and for tri-
umph Of democracy in the world war.
THE supreme test Of the nation has
come" says the address. I'VE must
all speak. act and serve together"
Putting the navy on a war footing
and raising a great army are the SIM
plest parts Of the great task ahead, the
president declares, and he urges all the
people, with particular emphasis on
his words to the farmers, 70 concen-
trate their energies. practice economy.
prove unseIfishness and demonstrate
efficiency.
Text Of Address.
The address follows:
My fellow ecuntrymen:
'sThe entrance OF our own beloved
country into the grim and terrible war
for democracy aud human rights which
has shaken the world creates so many
problems Of national life and action
which call for immediate consideration
and settlement that | hope you will
permit me to address to you a few
words of earnest counsel and appeal
with regard 10 them.
I'VE are rapidly putting cur navy
upon On effective war footing and are
about to create and equip great army,
but these are the simplest parts Of the
great task to which we have addressed
ourselves.
.r4here is not a single selfish eie-
ment. so far as can see, in the cause
we are fighting for We are lighting
for what We believe and wish to be the
rights Of mankind and for the future
peace and security OF the world
Devote Selves to Service.
$40 do this great thing worthily and
successfully we must devote ourselves
TO the service without regard TO profit
or material advantage and with an
energy and intelligence thar viii sSe
TO the level of the enterprise Itself.
"These. then, are the things we
must do and do we'll, besides lighting
the things without which mere fight
ing would be fruitless:
eve must supply abundant food for
ourselves ard for our armies and our
seamen nor oni5. bur also for large
part Of the natioes with whom we have
now made common cause. in whose
support and by whose sides we shall
be lighting.
Must Supply Ships.
ave must supply ships by the hun
dreds out Of our shipyards TO carry
to the other side of the sea, subma-
rines or no submarines, what will every
day be needed there, and abundant
materials out Of our fields and our
mines and our factories with which
not Only 20 clothe and equip our own
forces on land and sen but also TO
clothe and support our people for
whom the gallant fellows under arms
can no longer work, to help cIothe and
equip the armies with which Ne are
cooperating in EUROPE ana 20 t-ep
the looms and manufactures ther' In
raw materials. coal to keep the fires
going in ships at sea aud In the fur
naces across the sea; steel out Of
which to make arms and ammunition
both here and there; rails for worn
out railroads back Of the fighting
fronts; locomotives and rolling STOCK
To take the place of those every day
going TO pieces; mules, horses, cattle
for labor and for military service
everything with which the people OF
England and France and Italy anC
Russia have usually supplied them,
selves, but cannot now afford the men
the materials or the machinery Il
make.
Need Greater Efficiency.
1T is evident to every thinking mar
that our industries, in farms, In ship
pards. In the mines. In the factories
p-st be made more prolific and NOR,
tsicient than ever. and that they mus
be more economically managed anI
better adapted = t'e particular re
qulrements of our task han they hav,
been; and what l want a say Is tina
the men and the women Who devot,
their thought and their energg 10 thes,
things will be serving the coUa;fy ant
conducting the fight for peace and free
dom just as truly and just as efacti -
~ as the men on the battlefield or fl
the trenches.
Appeal 70 Farmers
Thousands, nay. hundreds Of thou
sands OF men otherwise liable to -1ili
tary service. will of right and Of ness
sity be excused from that service an
assigned to the fundamental. sustain
ing work Of the fields and factorie.
and mines, and they will be as muc
part Of the great patriotic forces @
the nation as the men under fire.
Il take the liberty. therefore. {
addressing this word to the farmer
Of the country and to all who wor
on the farms The supreme need {