Evening star., 1924-08-30
SPEAKERS PREDICT
DEFENSE SUCCESS
Secretary Weeks and Pa
triotic Representatives AS
sure Support to Mobilization.

Defense Test day will be a success.
despite the propaganda of war resist
ers and slackerS, some Of whom even
have shown a change of heart of late.
speakers last night indicated in the
course of their remarks at the dinner
conference at the New Willard Of
representatives of patriotic orsaniza
tions from all parts Of the country
who came here to discuss plans for
cooperation for the test on Septem-
ber IL.
Secretary Weeks pointed out that
the mobilization was merely carrying
out the provisions of the national de-
tense act and was to show each COM
munity what 1t could do in time of
emergency, and that it was not in
any way militaristic display and
could not be considered as such by
any foreign power. any more than the
mobilization of the battle fleet for
maneuvers could be considered such.
The Secretary took occasion to
thank the Governors of As States and
the mayors of hundreds Of cities and
towns for their efforts toward max
ing the day success.
Wants Boys Trained.
He said he hated war, but he want
ed to see the boys of America trained
to bear arms. and pointed out that
such training would fit them to be
better citizens. The Secretary said
he hoped to train thousands in the
citizens military training camps. He
added that he always employed men
with some military training, az they
made the best employees, because they
were more methodical in their work.
Secretary Weeks said he had no
quarrel with members of religious
sects who honestly opposed fighting.
saying that when a war does come
against their country they are always
willing to aid, but a large percentage
Of the opposition comes from those
who are pure towards.
There are those who see in the De-
fense test, he said, an effort to
militarize America. But, he added,
there isn't any military spirit in the
United States. There isn't a person
in the Army or out, who wants war.
The people. through Congress, make
war, and the people should fight it.
Attempting Law Violations.
when any one opposes the Defense
test. he is attempting to make the
country violate its own laws" de-
clared Weeks. He then read excerpts
from the national Defense act, which
made the doing of certain things
mandatory.
Maj. Gen. Hanson E Ely, command
ant of the Army War College, a SOL
dier, wearing gold chevrons of over
seas service on his right arm and a
wound chevron on his left, a man
who saw service in the trenches and
was a leader in the first forces whose
fighting spirit was felt by the Ger
mans, said: God knows the military
wants peace. They want war about
as much as man wants the tooth
ache"
Its just as sensible" he said, ito
take all the locks off doors and win
dows of houses, and call in all the
police, and saying that by doing it
there would be no more robberies, as
to say that to scrap ships and not
prepare an Army would not cause
war
He pointed out that the Constitu-
ton of the United States provided
for the forming Of a militia, made
up of the people who would fight
their own wars, and for anyone to
say that they would not fight for the
Nation when war comes made that
person unfit to live under that Con-
stitution.
Speaks for War Mothers.
Mrs. H H. McCluer of Kansas
City. president of the National War
Mothers, which organization had in
1t mothers who had from one to nine
sons fighting, mothers who lost from
one to five sons. and mothers who
are now nursing the blind and Grip
pies, said that these mothers were
firmly behind the national defense
test. and would again give the sons
they had to fight
Maj. ]. Franklin Bell, Engineer
Commissioner of the District, de-
livered an address of welcome, and
other addresses were delivered by
Col. John McElroy, representing the
G. A. r.; Mrs. Isabel WorreIl Ball,
Woman Relief Corps; Paul J. Nc
Gahan, American Legion; Charles B.
Pike. Citizens Military Training
Camps Association: Mrs. Amos A.
Fries. Daughters of the American
Revolutions; Albert D. Alcorn, United
Spanish War Veterans.
Letters from the Daughters of the
Confederacy and the Confederate
Veterans supporting wholeheartedly
the Defense test were read by Gen.
James A. Drain, who presided.
Solos were rendered by Miss Kath-
ryn Browne Of Chicago, and Louis p.
Thompson of this city.
Resolutions pledging support and
urging that Defense Test day be
taken out Of partisan politics were
adopted unanimously at the afternoon
session yesterday.