Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-06-11
Wood Cheered 40 Minutes
II 6. 0. P. Convention

CONTINUED from page ~
pirations. II was the possession of
this broad capacity hat brought 20
Leonard Wood at the conclusion of
his work IN Cuba the commentator
Of the leaders OF the period.
"A president must be able to inter-
pref the shadow OF coming events.
We do not nee to speculate con
corning Leonard Woods foresight.
When the great val broke upon
the consciousness of the American
people with a terrific shock, Il found
that Leonard Wood had been prepar-
ing. We heard from him no plati-
tudes about a million men springing
to arms over night. On his own ini-
tiative he established the Plattsburg
training camps, created the first line
of the national defense and gave to
the thousands of magnificent young
American men who volunteered q
new definition of loyalty. a new OPP
portunity for service. a new vision of
their national obligation.
saw him accepting whatever
task was given Into his hands with
the cheerful obedience of those who
submerge self in service. In our
state, where he trained many of our
splendid young men. inspiring them
with his spirit. f%ashioning them into
the S9th Division, the people Witness
ed his work with such pride that
when the governor of our state, my
honored predecessor, made him by
proclamation a citizen of Kansas,
every other citizen applauded.
I'VE watched him go away to the
point of embarkation and then at the
last moment we read with conster-
nation that his great desire TO take
his division to the field was not to
be granted.
This mar was no whimperer. Not
an hour was lost in sulking. Not a
word was wasted In criticism. Not
al instant spent in mourning over
his personal disappointment. We see
him coming back to train another
division. If we can he said, well
make it even better han the one
with which l had hoped TO serve in
France
THE American soldier is a citizen
soldier. Leonard Wood holds fast to
the traditions of the great citizen
soldiers of the republic. A plain,
blunt man, with blunt belief in facts.
he Is today the best known Ameri-
can. In the frank expression OF his
beliefs there Is no hidden motive. No
candidate for high office has aver
gone to the people of this nation
with soul and mind so frankly re-
vealed as Leonard Wood.
mo endeavor of his life presents
In truer colors his calm and steady
strength than the work at Gary. 1t
was the old quarrel thai took him
there-the struggle between those
who hire and those who toll, the only
form Of civil strife which govern
ment still allows to menace q help
less public. He carried to that dis
trict the guarantee of fair play. He
had been advised not to go to Gary.
He was told the situation was full Of
dynamite. He could have ser a
subordinate, but he went IN person
and dominated the situation by the
force of absolute justice. Not a shot
was fired or a bayonet used. His
calm decision at that hour not only
brought security to Gary, but assur-
nee and profound relief to the wait
Ing country. The success of his sane
just endeavor brought back TO
men their faith in government.
Again at Omaha, in the racial
riots, in West Virginia, in the labor
troubles. he visuallzed not military
power, but the peculiar determine
tion which should be always the
American pledge to protect the rights
of all by firm and righteous govern
ment.
NO nan can know him without
recognizing the liberality of his
mind, his openness to conviction. AS
Root once said of him, He is hospit-
able to advice
AS president he will not seek to
create for himself q neutral back
ground out of mediocre "a The
nation will have that to which the
people are entitled in its councils
the united b~rain-power OF real lead
ers.
The sum total of preferential ex-
p%resslons marks him as the outstand-
ing candidate in the minds Of the
whole people.
The choice hat is made now may
mould the character of the nation
for fifty years n perhaps longer,
for FESTIVE minds are plastic and the
leadership that comes now VIII go
far to determine the character of our
government henceforth.
There isn't an American worthy
to be here who does not believe in
the future leadership Of this country.
Well have hat leadership when
we're worthy. and that leadership
will not depend upon any %interna-
tional society we may join. 1t will
depend upon the success which we
make of the experiment of human
government here, and to that call
the instinct of every man must rise.
With fun appreciation OF the
challenge of the hour, l present the
name of the man who fits the hour
Leonard Wood"
The demonstration which followed
Woods nomination lasted
forty minutes and was halted when
Chairman Lodge said the galleries
be cleared unless they quoted
down. The delegates cheered the an
nouncement.
When Arkansas was called the
state yielded to Illinois for the NOM
of Governor Lowden Rep.
William A. Rodenberg of Illinois,
took the platform to deliver the ad-
dress.
Likening Governor Frank o. Low
den unto Lincoln and telling the dele
gates to the Republican National
convention that once before many
years ago Illinois was called upon to
furnish a man when the nation was
in dire distress. Congressman Roden-