New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-24
Protests and Eulogies
Mark Session Devoted
to Preparedness
partisan SPIRIT"
BRINGS REBUKES
Henry A. Wise Wood De-
clares Utopian Ideas Sue
coed Only in Utopia

ministration in their ADDRESSES ON-
fore the annual convention of the Ma
tional Civic Federation in the Hotel
Astor yesterday that the chairmen OF
tho meetings were frequently called
upon TO proclaim the non-partisan
character Of the organization.
Henry A. Wise Wood. chairman OF
the conference committee on national
preparedness, was openly rebuked when
he dcplored the "pacifstic tendencies
of President Wilson. Eulogy of the
Chief Executive as second Washing
ton" by Hamilton Holt, vice-president
of the League TO Enforce Peace, also
brought Daniel A. Tobin, the presid-
ing officer, to his feet with protest
against partisan spirit.
Supporters of conflicting plans for
national security were otherwise given
free rein to present their views, and
the dav was given over 90 consideration
of panaceas Of varied character AZ
the close Of the discussions vincent
Astor was elected chairman OF the
food and drugs department, william H.
Wilcox chairman of the pension de-
partment. George W. Perkins CHAIR
man of the proft-sharing committee
aud August Belmont chairman OF the
industrial accident compensation de-
partment. They will serve Tor one
year. during which time the federation
expects them to go far toward sowing
the various problems they have shoul-
dered.
Darlington Criticises Camps
Az tho opening of yesterdays session
DR.. Thomas Darlington, former itcallh
Commissioner of New York and con-
sulting sanitarian of the federation
read an abstract of report he re-
Gently made of the condition OF the
| National Guard and regular army
camps on the Mexican border
/ Considerable room Tor improvement,
i'm the matter Of sanitation was touhd
and a national system OF reservation
training camps for use IN case OF war
was advocated By DR.. Darlington a
defence of the militia, plea ior UNI
versal military service, sharp critlclSm
of national unpreparedncSs and sug-
gestions for betterment Ia the training,
+ TRANSFORMATION, subsistence and general
care of soldiers went with the report.
Harvey Ingham. editor Of The Dess
Noines register and Leader" declared
large employers of labor and repre-
sentatives Of capital desired military
preparedness not because war was
feared. but because domestic lnsut-
rection was regarded as a possibility.
"Tbe Middle West rs hesitating be-
fore it backs the move for prepared
ness. because it believes such pre-
paredness would be for war and not
Tor defence. The Middle West remem-
hers the frontier days and the fact
that where pistol tOtiug' was the gen
eral thing assaults were the most
common. We don't need a big army
for defence; one hundred submarines
would make invasion Of America as
impossible as invasion Of the moon
Says Wilson Plan Will Fail
"Tbe last speaker has seriously
malirned the West" began Mr.. Wood
in his appeal for preparedness.
have Just returned from Utah and !
couldn't find "a pacihst i'm the state.
Pacifsm hourishcs only in thc East
crDccially BOO Washington
Nr wood then proceeded 30 outline
the philosophy OF preparedness' ana
traced the history Of pacifsm, which he
declared dated back to .pre-Christian
times.
There were peace leagues in the
time Of the Greeks he said. Il dare
say they dreamed of a world at peace, as
some dream to-day. But universal
peace plans depend upon the honesty
and fair play Of nations, and there 5 no
such animal. Why, Jesus Christ failed
10 bring peace 20 the world; how can
mere mortals do II? President Wilson's
peace document cannot but fail. That's
the trouble with this country have
pacifst in the White House. Utopan
ideas can be successful only in Utopia
"Mr. Woods views said Louis B.
Schram, the chairman, ARE personal
views and do not represent the senti-
ment Of the federation. regret that
he should have spoken i'm that way we
must keep away from partisan discus
sions."
Most Nations "Played Fair"
an the great mass Of cases nations
have PLAYED fair" said Professor
William S. Guthrie, OF the World S
Court League, "snd | hope the time
soon will come when public faith Will
he solemnly fulfilled. Could anything
be more convincing than the universal
moral reprobation which met the re
cent violation Of treaties in Europe !
The plan Of the League TO Enforce
Peace Professor Guthrie declared, car
ried with il the seeds Of its own fail
urc. since the very scheme itself "Opens
Tho way TO war" lie urged a world
court 10 be modelled along the lines OF
the Supreme Court Of the United
States. and took a parting fling at the
efforts of the enforced peace propo,
nents by describing them as engaged
"in a futile attempt to conceal the grim
figure Of force in the background, with
the tabled goddess of peace, sword IN
one hand, scales of justice IN the other
and her weather eye open for hght
Woodrow Wilson, by his peace speech
before the United States Senate, mas
superseded the Declaration Of hide
pendence by the declaration OF lnterde-
pendence. according to MIR. Holt
What Wilson Proposes
"He has actually proposed interna-
tionaI cooperation. instead of competl-
tionV he continued. "From now until
( the end of the war this will be the
Great issue. Kant said one hundred
wears ago that eternal peace never
I would come until the world was pohti-
cally organized, and this, he said, would
never be possible until the people, and
not the kings, ruled the world.
This is just what the President Is
trying TO make possible; he is suggest
1 ing the advisability Of universal Co
operation. II we don't enter a League
) 10 enforce peace the next few years VIII
/ bring the greatest competition between
nations in the matter Of armament that
/ the world ever has known.
at seems to be the destiny or the