Arizona republican., 1919-03-05
were true Americans and lovers of iberty and of the right"

were true Americans and lovers of liberty and of the right"
 NEW YORK. March 4.-On the eve of his return to the peace conference. President Wilson delivered an address here tonight at.the Metropolitan Opera house. urging establishment of a league of nations. Former President Taft, speaking from the same platform, also outlined his reasons for believing that a league should be formed to prevent future wars.
 Governor Smith of New York pre- sided at the meeting and introduced both President and Alr. Taft.
 Long before the president. coming here tonight from Washington, 10 sail from HohOken on the steamer George Washington. reached the opera house, great crowds had collected along Broadway and Seventh avenue, while hundreds of policemen. the strongest guard ever provided in this city, were stationed at every few paces around the building.
 One hour before the doors were thrown open to the few thousands who had been able Co obtain tickets, 20 in- spectors from police headquarters l searched the opera house from cellar to uppermost gallery showing evidence ! of precautions taken to protect Amer l ica's chief executive.
 Roofs of buildings nearby were also searched
 Police lines were drawn two blocks | from all sides of the opera house. Seat holders arriving in automobiles were | forced to descend one block from the building and walk to the main en- ] trance. At least fifteen uniformed po- | licemen yiscd each ticket before a seat ! holder could reach the main entrance | of the building and almost as many more men scanned the tickets before a person reached his seat. | The doors were opened shortly after ! 7fo'clock, and as fashionably dressed men and women, with many represent atives of the army, navy and marines, ! filed down the aisles to their seats. the port of emharkation band played pa i triotic airs.
 Notables Attend Speaker
 The house presented a democratic appearance, with hundreds of men and | women in evening clothes, mingling with others in plain business dress American and allied flags draped over the balconies were the only decora- tions.
 Seats were provided in the front row on the platform for President Wilson Mir. Taft Governor Smith, Frank L | Polk, acting secretary of state; Abra- | ham l. ElMns, former ambassador tC | Turkey; Cleveland H. Dodge and Al | fred F.. Martin, president of the New | York chamber of commerce. l l trslr cri1-ara fl1f meeting by the presence on the plat form of Major Generals David C Shanks and Thomas Barry and theii staffs, and Vice Admiral Albert E Gleaves and Rear Admiral Nathanie R. Usher and their staffs. Other or the platform included Joseph r Tumulty. secretary to the president former Governor Charles $. Whitman former Ambassador Henry MOrgenthal and other distinguished men.
 At o'clock. hardly a seat was va
 cant At that hour the audience joine, whole heartedly in the singing of pa
 trlotic and popular song. and it wa
 announced no speeches would be de
 livered until the arrival of Presiden
 Wilson.
 MT. Taft arrived at the Metropolitan about S:30 o'clock. After Governo
 Smith and members of the committee on arrangements had taken their plac
 on the stage. military touch was add
 ed by a color guard of overseas vet
 erans. who marched to the center an, presented colors.
 President Wilson arrived at tn opera house at SIPS o'clock. He wa
 accompanied by Mrs. Wilson. Tn president went to the cloak room wher | he met Mir. Taft. Mrs. Wilson wa escorted to a box in the first balcony Taft Honored Guest i The president and Mr. Taft wake
 onto the stage arm in arm. They wer , applauded for several minutes. Tn
 audience remained standing until tn , president took h.s seat.
 X wave of cheers swept over tn
 house as the president and Mir. Tai
 took the center Of the platform. Tn
 president stepped forward and bowe to all sides of the house. Mir. Tai
 then stepped forward and acknowl
 edged the cheers.
 } Cleveland Fl. Dodge called for thre
 cheers for President Wilson and thre T more for Mir Taft They were give ( with a will Then someone in the hous
 called for three more cheers for th e president and the audience burst fort 8 into another wave of applause
 Enr.co Caruso, introduced by Gov