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Show ROOT AROUSES WAR SENTIMENT !I IE! YORK Former Senator Is Principal Speaker at a Mass Meeting- Held in Madison Square Garden. THOUSANDS SING PATRIOTIC AIRS Great Crowd Pledges Support Sup-port to President Wilson and Urges That War Be Declared at Once. ITEW. TOBK, March 22 Led by more than forty patriotic and civic or-ganizations or-ganizations and collego clubs, a crowd that filled Madison Square Garden tonight to-night enthusiastically pledged itself to the support of President YTilson and nrged that there b no more delay upon the part of the United States in entering enter-ing the European war against Germany. Among the sneakers tvere Elihu Root, who presided; Dr. John Grier Hibben, president of . Princeton university; Charles S. pairehild, who was secretary of the treasury under President Cleveland, Cleve-land, and Mayor Mitchel. United States Senator Ollie James of Kentucky, Joseph Jo-seph H. Choate and many others of prominence were present. TThen Mr. Eoot, opening the meeting, declared the time had come for the country to act, irrespective of parties or partisanship, the great crowd arose, cheering and waving small American flags. This demonstration was repeated repeat-ed time and again, aud it was with difficulty that Mr. Eoot and the other speakers made themselves heard. Thousands Join in Singing. Thousands of voices joined in singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" and other patriotic airs, while the various college dubs interrupted the meeting at intervals inter-vals by giving their yells. There was frequent applause as delegations dele-gations from patriotic societies marched into the garden before the meeting began. be-gan. The Sons of the American Revolution Revo-lution were led by a fife and drum corps. They were' followed by blue-jeekets blue-jeekets from the New York navy yard, the white-and-blue-clad boys of the Junior Ju-nior Patriots of America and the members mem-bers of the Home Defense league, wearing wear-ing their new uniforms. Mr. Root said in part: "We come not to find fault or to criticise. We come to turn our faces toward the government of our choice, the government, the president and the congress on whom weigh the terrible burdens of decision and action and the issue of peace or war and in the terrible terri-ble pursuit of that freedom which can i be maintained, it seems now. only by war. In this government, bv the people it must be the people themselves who act through the president and the congress. con-gress. Our Faith Betrayed. "We did think a few rears ago that the reign of law bad come into the world; we did think that the rules of law that all civilised nations had agreed to be hound by were a protection to the peaceful, to the weak; we did think-that think-that tho faith of treaties was a protection, protec-tion, but we have had a sad awakening. Neither the rules of law nnr the teachings teach-ings of civilization, nor tho requirements require-ments of religion, stand in the wav of those powers that are now seeking in the world, with fire and sword, what they call the liberty of national evolution, evolu-tion, the liberty to send their increasing increas-ing population out and sie the territory terri-tory and subjugate tho inhabitants of other lands. "No more the protection nf treaty or of law gird thp people nf America ronnd about. The doctrines that a ptnte can do no wrong, tho doctrine that, a stafo is entitled" to take what its interest in-terest requires with the strong arm in hand, has ben deciarpd. and is supported support-ed by nne-ha'f the militarv power of the world, and if the present war in Europe ends without a victory over the nations which are declaring and acting upon that hateful doctrine there will be no peace and eafetr for free democracies democra-cies in this world excent all free countries coun-tries be turned into armed camps." Young Man Hustled Out. When M. Foot a--cor:e.- tiiut a pa.-p-aide mepl'ng. .- 1 1 tonight, was pns.-iMp only h"cau.-e this country was protected by The armies and nav'ip? of the entente, allies a votiu man in the aii'Iience shouted that the speaker's ut- (Coutluued. on Paja Two.) III JH5 4 . SET rl WM (Continued from Page One.) teranee was an untruth. Instantly there was an uproar and the disturber was rushed out of the garden. Several others who tried to interrupt the meeting meet-ing also were put out. ' ' The question is not whether we shall submit, but whether the world shall be made to understand that America. Amer-ica. 'with its hundred millions of people, with its vast wealth, with its great traditions, tra-ditions, with all the courage and the spirit of the greatest free "democracy, has the power and the courage to de-! de-! fend herself." Mr. Root continued. "I say that upon the issue of the war in Europe hangs the question whether America shall, at the close of that war, be turned into one armed camp or whether America shall be a subject nation. There is no nation on earth not England, nor France, nor Belgium, nor Italy, nor Eussia with a greater stake in the success of the allies al-lies in this war against German militarism mili-tarism than the United States. ''Every American, everv true American Ameri-can heart, should respond with joy, amid its sorrow, to the feeling that if we enter this war to do our part toward to-ward bringing about the victory that is so important to us, we shall be fighting fight-ing over again the battle of the American democracy, the democracy of England; the democracy of France; the democracy of Italy, and now, God be praised, the great democracy of Eussia. Eus-sia. ' ' Dr. Hibben's Speech. In opening his address Dr. Hibben said: 'T am bere tonight as a pacifist. I believe in peace at any price and the price at the present time is war.' Continuing, Con-tinuing, he said: ; This is a time when the only peace that is worth lighting for is that peace of conscience, the consciousness that we as a people are not cowards, the consciousness con-sciousness that we lave raised our voice and our power against great wrongs aud great injustice and that id the peace that we are called upon to tight for at the present time. Are we relying upon the faint and vet fond expectation that in some way 'the submarine will be driven by the British naw from under the seas and that the French line will strike through the German line into Germany before we are brought into any more danger? We have waited long enough, ow is the time for action. ' c Are we as Americans degenerate? Has the manhood of our race run out?" Ho was answered by cries of "Xo, never! ' ' "Let us recognize our enemy. I hope that the day will come when the Stars and Stripes will be seen somewhere some-where along the Yon Hindenburg line in France," he declared. What Is Needed. 1 George TTharton Pepper said the na-tioD na-tioD should recognize the fact that even men and industrial preparedness are of little worth "unless we can put into the hands of tho men the ordinary and necessary implements of warfare rifles, guns, ammunition and all the rest of the necessary equipment. ' 1 Theodore Ivoosevelt sent a letter in which he urged "instant and effective action" against Germany. After enumerating' numerous "overt acts of war" against this country, the former president said: "Unless, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, we are degenerates whose manhood man-hood has run out, we shall strike hard and effectively in response to these brutal and unprovoked injuries. Unless Un-less we do so we shall show ourselves unworthy to be the heirs of the steadfast stead-fast soldiers of Washington, unworthy ; to claim kinship with the men of high ! soul who, under the banners of Grant and of Lee, proved their truth by their endeavor. ' Mr. "Roosevelt asserted the country now was at war, and added that the only question was "whether we shall make war valiantly or make war feebly." fee-bly." FairchikPs Speech. Charles S. Fairchild, who was secretary secre-tary of the treasury under President Cleveland, told the audience that "we should take our place beside those peoples peo-ples that have fought many months for all that is best in our traditions and ideals; beside those who are fighting our battle." "We must help," declared Mr. Fair-child. Fair-child. "What an hour would be that when a gTeat division of patriot soldiers sol-diers from our land marched up to that long battle line in France, tinder the ; Stars and Stripes, greeted by 'Britan- ; nia ' and the ' Marseillaise, ' answering answer-ing with 'America' and the 'Star-Spangled 'Star-Spangled Banner, led by that ex-president ex-president of oars whose name you know bo weft! "Such another would be when from over the Pacific another great division marched to the front in Eussia, sent by the oldest to the youngest democracy to help save both from the dreadful foe of all democracies." Resolutions were passed calling upon congress "as soon as assembled to declare de-clare that by the acts of Germany a state of war does now exist between that country and the United States. y The resolutions approved President Wilson's Wil-son's action in severing diplomatic relations re-lations with Germany, and his decision de-cision to; arm American vessels ' and summon cVmgrcss in extra session. They also urged immediate passage of n bill for universal training, and added that "we call upon our government govern-ment for prompt, , vigorous and courageous courage-ous leadership in the immediate mobilization mobili-zation of the entire naval, military and industrial strength of the nation, including in-cluding the augmentation orSour army and navy for the effective protection of American rights and the faithful discharge of America 's duties in the present crisis." |
