The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-19
Governor Henderson Opens War Conference of State Council of Defense
 at Jefferson
LARGE AUDIENCES
 THRILLED BY FINE
 PATRIOTIC SPEECHES
Stars and Stripes Floating Over Trenches Inspired Courage and Brought
 Happiness to France


 Happiness to France
 NO man is any more firmly convinced than I that we could not have avoided the war without the sacrifice or natlonai honor,", said Secretary of Agriculture Houston in his address to a packed house at the Jefferson theatre last night. The meeting was held under the auspices of the National Council of Defense, Lieutenant Perigord of the French army also made a stirring and patriotic ad- dress.
 Music was furnished by the Boys In- dustrial School band.
 The state conference of the council of defense opened yesterday afternoon at o'clock at the Jefferson theatre. The meeting was called to order by Governor Henderson, who made a brief talk on the purpose of. the conference stating it was to consider general campaign plans, as there was an urgent need for co-opera- ton of the people not only for the dura- tion of the war but after the war was over.
 LONG LINE OE kHAkI
 Dr. Thomas F. Moran. professor of history and political science Of Perdue university, was introduced and received with enthusiasm. He expressed his ep- preciation at being able to attend this patriotic meeting and stated that when the Hong line of blues and long line of grays,' together make up the longer line of khaki, nothing is impossible to the great and glorious country Of America. &
 .sThis war came on us so suddenly, continued pr. Moran, that many or us are still rubbing our eyes and are not awake yet We did not enter this war Tn the spirit of adventure. or for greed or gain, not because American property was being destroyed, not wholly be- cause of the loss of lives of our Ameri- can citizens, but because the liberty won by Washington was threatened and we are fighting to save ourselves. Freedom cannot live in America if it dies in Eu- rope.
 KAISER NEVER FRIENDLY soThe Kaiser has never been even remotely friendly to the Unt- ted States, and he first ordered all neutral countries off the high seas and now he wants to put us off the earth. The world is not big enough for might or right at the same time. If man is not with us, he is against us, for in this question there is sn0 mans land.' I have nothing but contempt for a man who uses the United States meal ticket and gives his support to some king or kaiser.'' In speaking of the peace question: Dr. Moran was of the opinion that the best way to gain peace was to win tie war first and then make peace afterwards to meet the needs of this country.
 Governor Henderson then introduced pr. James A. B. Scherer, a member of the council of defense and the United States shipping board who made a
 most interesting talk on the work of the council of defense. He spoke of the splendid manner in which the citi- zens of every state in the union had responded and was doing everything to beat Kaiser Bill
 'No state in the south has responded to patriotic calls more readily than AL abama. She has made a record of which the entire south should be proud, said Dr. Scherer. 'At this time the business of the country is the prosecu- tion of the war" He stated the gov
 ernment had asked the American peo- pie to discriminate against the perish able food and foodstuffs that can be shipped, and they have been called upon to eat more corn bread than wheat bread, stating we must feed not only our boys, but also our allies. which is just as important, for all are fighting for the same cause
 He spoke of the Mormons having put
 away one-tenth of their supply of wheat each year, as they had been taught there would come a time when it would
 be needed, and that this was the time, and they were willing to turn over to the government this great store or wheat to help win the war. MT. Hooper then made short talk and introduced w. Curtis Nicholson, national representative of the four-m'n- ute men who made brief talk speaking 1 of the necessity of organizing the smaller towns and rural districts in order to l fight ignorance and the propaganda Of the enemies of our country.
 SECRETARY HOUSTON Floyd M. Hooper. chairman of the state national board of defense, intro | duced Gov Charles Henderson, who, after few remarks, introduced Secre- tary of Agriculture Houston | A high tribute was paid to the man hood produced by Alabama in Secre- tary Houston's opening remarks, and after brief discourse on local condi-
 tions and the condition of the country l in general. he launched into the mann theme of his talk, that of the war. 1 we are in this war because we value \ our national honor above all else. This cause is given for almost every war
 that has been fought. I know. and many times it has been abused and misused,
 but let me impress it upon every mind
 present that without 1t a nation cannot exist-any nation which disregards it is | doomed" said the speaker.
 l After telling of Premier Lloyd George s struggles on the other side of the At lantic before and since the declaration 1 of war for universal liberty and free {, dom, he said, And now aligned with Premier Lloyd George is the greatest l exponent of liberty and freedom in the ! world-our own President, Woodrow | ~r,urxyr, <,r nsUAY