The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-03-18

dog running in a circle after his taii in an attempt al "co- ordination" The question of preparedness during peace times next occupied the atteh- ton of the speaker. He talked at some length on the necessity of mil'>ary preparedness for emergencies during peace times.
 "When war was declared this coun- try was found singularly unYrepared, he said. ''Ne needed men and we needed material. For many years have personally advocated a system of military training to be put into ef- feet in this country. It has been found to advantage in many other countries and rebounds in benefits both to the natio1 and the individuals"
 REFERS TO FRENCH MORALE
 French morale and the patience they i have displayed in this trying time with the United States during her period of unpreparedness was next taken up. A comparison of the French and the American spirit was then made 'It would be impossible for two such spirits to exist and not find each oth- err said the speaker. The spirit of France was represented in a short story he told of French soldier who uas rnortally wounded and was dying. Still holding his eyes on the flag of his beloved country his last words were: My soul l give to my God, ny body to the dust my heart to France"
 We have been so busy making money that we have neglected the Job of making men," said Governor Patter- scn The volunteer plan was tried and it failed. It was necessary to use the draft system. We have talked great deal about the battles that our torefathers won with squirrel guns, but l want to tell all of you before me that if we had depended upon the same methods in use then to raise our army of today We would have been the laughing stock of the world. Like the peacock, we have seen our feet and the feathers have dropped we are no longer trying to fool our 1 selves. We see ourselves as We are net as we want to be or as we have for many years flattered ourselves 1 that we were. We are a disillusioned people and a much more valuable ally l for the fact"
 MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE l Marriage and divorce laws in the sev- eral states were also discussed by Gov ernor Patterson and the remedy as he sees it named
 "The marriage and divorce laws should be uniform,'' he declared; "one law for | the entire nation. Under the law as we now have it, couple may go and be married in one state with little or no trouble, while in their native state prob ably marriage at all would have been an l impossibility. They may then remove to another state and obtain a divorce for practically nothing. we have in the l United States states which make a spe- cialty of divorce cases. It is a we'll ! known fact, and one which should put shame into the conscience of every true | American citizen
 T believe that marriage and divorce laws are two fundamentals necessary to any government. but at the same time | I believe that they should be uniform 1 for the entire nation.
 1 "Womans suffrage is right and should also be uniform in all states. 1 believe in this and think that every woman in the country has an equal right to vote with the men,
 STATES RIGHTS ISSUE States rights and personal liberty, two of the strongest contentious of the local option party, and principles for which the south fought four years bloody 1 war back in the sixties, also received | consideration at the hands of the orator. 1 "Who will drag the question of states rights and the personal privileges of citizens into this fight?" he asked. 'I l have heard this old argument so often l that l tire OI It. NO one IS more l entrenched on the states rights ques- ton than I am. 1 am a southerner, born and reared I believe that the southern states had perfect right to secede from the union under the constitution of the United States, but how are you going to bring up that question when thousands ] of our boys were conscrpted against their will and sent across the seas for actual duty? Who, then. will defend this ! issue-for the good of the entire people and for the world-when our boys have already been taken from their homes by the same power which could pass this bill, and made to fight, many of them ] never to return to their homes and friends again? The question of states rights was buried in treaty signed un- der an old apple tree at Appomattox courthouse years ago. Let 1t remain buried there.
 What can we expect when we have become a nation that had rather go to see a picture of Charlie Chaplin during our idle time than to read some good literature, or prepare ourselves for bet ter things?" he said during one part of his talk.
 Citizenship was next handled by the l speaker. Much time was devoted to