The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-01-05
BAKER TELLS WHAT
WASHINGTON MEANT
Says He Did Not Intend That
We Should Become O
Hermit Nation.
WAR TRIUMPHs RECITED
U. s. Achievements on Field
and in Industrial Lines
Recited in Buffalo.
sp,ciai Despdtch to The Sun.

Special Despdtch to The Sur.
BUFFALO Jan. 4.-Strong advocacy Of
q league OF nations. such as appears to
be In the Presidents mind. was made
here tonight when Secretary Baker
spoke before the Chamber Of Commerce.
Secretary Baker said he had no intention
OF speaking for President Wilson. be-
cause the President had spoken for him
self. He did back the Presidents ideas
absolutely. And then he proceeded TO
advance arguments, one OF the main
contentious being that Washingtons
Farewell Address contains no adnoni-
tons against a world pact such rs 10
desired.
The early part Of the 6ecretary's
rather long speech was devoted to re-
view of Americas preparation for war
and participation in war. He spoke OF
the national unity that had been de-
| veloped, OF how the true spirit OF the
country had been aroused and fused In
tremendous purpose. He mentioned the
magnitude OF the industrial problems
that had to be solved. and In this con-
fnection said:
There is much talk OF the United
States having had to rely upon Great
Britain and France to supply It's armies
4
American industry did. In fact. supply to
Great Britain and France practically
an equivalent to that made available to
us from them. Americn industry was
able to meet the demands made upon II.
and on the day the armistice was signed
our army abroad was thoroughly
equipped with American made rides and
machine guns. some heavy artillery had
been shipped, and the stream OF supplies
in all types OF artillery. ammunition and
equipment was beginning at suoh rate
as would have supplied our own vast
forces entirely within very few
months.
Some idea OF the vastness OF these
undertakings can be got from the
fact that from the beginning Of the
war the Congress appropriated for the
War Department the great sum OF
twenty-four billion dollars. OF this ap-
proximately half was either spent OF
committed. You business men viii
realize how strong tho country !: which
can appropriate such a sum and In the
space of twenty months perfect the
Industrial organization necessary &c
start a steady stream OF production
which. with rising volume, was at the
point Of becoming adequate to completely
equip and maintain an army OF 5000. oot
men"
The Secretary reviewed the militar,
operations briefly.
Il am not assessing the strength OF
Great Britain or France or Italy. Nc
one IL more aware than Of the stout
hearted valor Of their soldiers and nc
onA admirss more than the sacrifice.
their armies and peoples endured M
Ole more cheerfully comedies that the,
bore through three long years the al
most insupportable burden. and when
speak of Americas achievements II IL II
praise alike OF the things we have don,
and the things they have done. But car
we not draw from Gen. Pershing's arm,
a measure OF our national strength? W,
Rave made voyage OF discovery arC
. found unsupported capacities in our
selves. Democracy has been tested ant
proved to be as effective as II Is whole
some"
|. Turning 10 the proposed league OF ma
. tons. Secretary Baker said that It wa
, incorcevable that the peoples OF tn
p, world are willing 20 face another sucl
= situation as that which just preceded tn
= war. Something must be done to della
! at least such dreadful explosions. H
= believed that the enlightenment of thi
age would make a peace league success
full.
I'VE hear IL said" ne went on, tina
there are very special rea sons why tn
United states cannot safely pledge itsel
to concerted action with the other ma
, lions of the world in international concern
=. and the reasons most often assigned ar
those which grow out of past history an
Z certain words OF advice impressed upo
our young republic by the greatest Of tn
fathers. AS to those two reasons.
3 seems fair to observe that in the nrs
s place the United States was immeasur
ably farther away from it's nearest inter
rational neighbor in 1900 than IL Is fror
its most remote and inaccessible sister 1
1919 Our isolation no longer exist.
Whether We like II or not. we have tn
liberties and responsibilities of a grea
people among the other peoples OF tn
earth and we cannot escape the conse
quences of this fact by closing our eye
to the change which has taken place |
hundred years.
"Washington's admonition to US wa
not that we should be a hermit natioI
erecting insuperahle barriers to intel
course between US and others. living
r tinlld disfrust of our own powers an
r., fearful OF our own impulses. He di
?, caution our infant republic against er
L tangling alliances, and the language {
his farewell address makes Il entiFel