The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1918-02-06
GOVERNOR Phillip SPEAKS
BEFORE A LARGE AUDIENCE
Chief Executive of State In Patriotic Ad-
dress Discusses War Aims and Politics.
Calls on Senator LaFollette to Re-
sign and Go Before the People.
Defends His Own Attitude
on Special Senatorial
Election.

by the responsibility of carrying on
war that we began to fully realize our
unpreparedness. We had money; we
had food. We. had men but few sol
diers. We needed transportation on
the sea; we had but few ships. We
needed guns; we needed munitiOns-in
fast, we were practically without any
of the appliances of war. This was
great task before our government.
The greatest task of all, however,
was to unite population of one hun
dred million, brought together from
all parts of the world, on the question
| of the necessity of war.
Great progress has been made in
| war preparations. Not all that we wish
done has been accomplished. Some
| things seem to have been but poorly
done l feel, however, that we must
learn to be patient, and above all
| things reasonable in our judgment of
the men upon whom rests the respon-
sibility of carrying on this great work.
| The country has a right to expect that
wherever inefficiency is proven that
it be promptly corrected. The people
have right to expect that the gov
eminent will call to it's aid men of
ability, regardless of political party,
in order that the best results may be
| obtained.
We should, however, be willing to
give a reasonable opportunity to those
| in power to correct whatever there is
wrong. If after inefficiency has been
pointed out no effort is made to cor
rect it, then the people will have a
perfect right to criticise and make
their criticism felt War costs human
life, and no man has the right to de-
mand the sacrifice of human life be-
cause of his incompetency. On the
other hand, incompetency should be
clearly proven before it is charged
| Wisconsin in Front Rank.
AS governor of the state 1 should
dwell largely upon the part that Wis
consin citizens have taken in the war
and what the state has done to aid the
general movement since war has been
declared. 1 shall make this statement,
and | defy any man or any newspaper
to contradict it SUCCESSFULLY, that in in
telligent cooperation with the govern
ment and in meeting it's requirements
Wisconsin stands second to no state in
the Union, and any statement by per-
son or press to the contrary is a libel
upon the good people of this state.
When war was declared the first de-
mand from Washington upon the state
was to create a Council of Defense. In
this request of the government the
spond. 1t created a Council by law
giving it the right of eminent domain
which carried with it the power to
confiscate fuel and food for the bene-
fit of our citizens in time of need.
The activities of the Council have
gone to the matter of increasing our
agricultural production, the securing
of seed, the securing of farm labor,
the promotion Of a spirit of patriotism
and cooperation among our people
the securing of nurses for the army
aiding in securing volunteers for our
National Guard, the securing and dis
tribution of food at lower prices in
our industrial centers, even the cor
rection of individuals who because of
some misunderstanding of our coun-
try's war aims have not been in SYM
pathy with us.
1t may be interesting to know that
Wisconsin's plan was adopted by many
states
Wisconsin responded on time with
its National Guard, enlisted to the full
quota authorized by the government.
bilization. On the day that war was
declared transportation for the moOil-
ization of these troops at Camp Doug
las had all been arranged for, each Of
ficer was notified to respond on a mo-
ment's notice and when the order
came for mobilization our Guard
moved to Camp Douglas without a
hitch.
The men were prepared for the trip
south. They were given clothing,
shoes, additional blankets-in fact, all
things that they required that the
government was able to furnish at
that time, and when our state troops
entrained they were soldiers They
had the equipment of soldiers. I call
attention to the fact, in this connec-
ton, that no stories of misery have
come to us from Camp Macarthur and
that they are moving toward the field
drilled soldiers ready to do their part.
I AS the day approached for registra-
ton there was excitement among GER
tain people and the word went out
from somewhere that there would be
bloodshed and riot in the state of Wis
consin. L was asked by the United
States government whether we need
ed troops to put down the disturbance
es. replied promptly that there would
be nothing for soldiers to do in Wis
consin on registration day. had faith
in our people, and it was we'll that /
did
We registered 1861 per cent of the
census estimate, and the only disturb
ance | heard of was a fight between
two young men, Italians, 1 believe,
over the question which would get to
the booth first to register. 1 would re-
fer those who would criticise us to the
states that registered as low as 80 per
cent OF the census estimate.
The administration of the selective
draft law has been carrfed out in this
state without a hitch No orpanized