UNITED STATES.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1918, Page 5

UNITED STATES.

PRESIDENT'S BALTIMORE SPEECH. THE NATION AWAKI GERMANY WANTS DOMINATION, NOT JUSTIOE. POSITION CLEARLY DEFINED. ' New York, April 8. President Wilson's ' speech at • Baltimore was the occasion of the celebration of the American acceptance of Germany's challenge to fight and the inauguration of the third Liberty Loan, The President declared that the nation wag awake and there was no need to call it. They knew the war must cost the utmost sacrifice of the lives of their best men and, if need be, all they possessed. The people were ready to lend the utmost even where it meant sharp skimping -and daily sacrifice. '•The cause we are fighting for,' said Mr. Wilson, "stands more sharply revealed now than ever before and America's way is now more sure than ever before. The cause is our own, and if it should.be lost our ow n great-nation's place and mission in the will be lost." " ■

The President reminded his audience that he had never judged Germany's purposes intemperately. He would he ashamed to speak with the turbulence and weak language of hatred or vindictive purpose. He sought to learn the objects of Germany from her own spokesmen and co deal frankly with them, as he wished them to deal with him.

America proposed no injusttoo and no aggression- iShe was ready whenever the final reckoning was made to he just to the German people and to deal fairly with the German power. The German leaders had answered, in unmistakable terms that not justice but domination and the unhindered execution of their own will was what they wanted. That avowal had not come from German statesmen, but from her military leaders, who were her real rulers. After reviewing the various German peace offers ho compared them with her actions in Russia, Finland, and elsewhere which followed these professions. The execution of (these actions proclaimed a very different; conclusion from such professions.

AN EMPIRE OF FORCE AND GAIN. 'Are we not justified in believing," he asked, "that they would do the same things on their western front if not face-to-face with armies which their countless divisions cannot oyerconje? H, when they have felt their check to be" final, tl\ey should propose favorable and equitable terms with regard to Belgium, France and Italy, could they blame us if we concluded that they did so only to assure themselves of a free hand in Russia and the past? Their purposes are undoub|edly to make all the Slavic peoples, all the free, ambitious nations of the Baltic peninsular, all the lands Turkey has dominated and misruled subject to f;heif will and ambition and build upon that domination an empire of force, whereupon fancy can erect an empire of gain ,and commercial supremacy, an empire as hostile to America as to Europe, which it will overawe, an empire which ultimately Will master Persia, India and the peoples of the Far Fast."

"That programme- once carried out, America and all who care for, or dare stand with her, must aim themselves at contest for the mastery of the world, e, mastery wherein the rights of men and women and all who are weak.enough must, for the time toeing, foe trodden under foot and the old age-long struggle for freedom and rigHt begin again."

lie was ready even now to discuss a fair, just, honest peace if put forward with sincere purpose, but the answer when he proposed such a peace came from the German command in Russia, and the meaning of'the answer could not be mistaken." '

AMERICA'S RESPONSE. '•'Therefore,' he said, "1 accepted the challenge and I know you accept It and all the world shall know you accept it. The answer shall appear in the utter sacrifice, the self-forgetfulness with which we shall give all that we Itfve and all we Wave to renew the world and make it fit for free men like, ourselves to live in. "My fellow-countrymen, henceforth let everything we plan to accomplish ring true to;this response till'the fnajesty and might of your concerted power fill the thought and utterly defeat the fore*. of those who flout and misprize __ what I we honor and hold dear. "Therefore but one response is possible from us—force, force to the utmost, force without stint or limit, the righteous and triumphant force which shall make right the law of the world and cast every selfish dominion down in the dust."

WHAT AMERICA HAS DONE. New York, April 8. On the anniversary of America's entry into the war the Committee of Public Information published a report of (he accomplishments. The total Government expense for the year was 12,067,27«,679 dollars. The army increased from 9524 officers and 202,510 men to 123,801 officers and 1,523,924 men. The navy increased from 4792 officers and 77,946 men to 21,000 officers and 330,000 men. There are now four times as many vessels in the naval service as n year ago. Over twenty large companies are tnaunfacturirig aeroplanes. The Emergency Fleet Corporation requisitioned 425 steel vessels and let contracts for 720 of a total dad-weight tonnage of 8,164,508. It has also let contracts for 720 of a total dead-weight ton--000 tons and repaired and put Into operation 788,000 tons seized from Germany and Austria. THE FIGHTING SPEECH APPROVED. New York, April 7. America has called an additional draft of 150,000 men. There is country-wide apjprov&l of President Wilson's fighting speech. The New York Times says: "The word spoken will ring through the nation, and uplift the spirit of the people strengthening them to meet whatever sacrifice th« ww; iayelrw" ' . I

i FOODSTUFFS FOR ALUEfc'/J DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION Jtl &s%s HALVED. ' *y* '. v f NAVAL ACTIVITY; */.-. | Received April 8, 5.6 pjn, *VI Washington, April 7. \'£ The Food Administrator aonouflceH that IJOO.OOO tonß of foodstuffs hod bMs?| sent to the Allies during March, inohii& ing 15,500,000 bushed of wheat aijJl wheat products, 16,200,000 bushels ><o. other grain, 80,000,00011)9 of beef a*&B beef products, and 20,000,0001bs of p<afc : l and pork products. He warns the puUJra it is imperative that the domestic tyn>JJ sumption of wheat be cut down to hattl until the harvest if the necesswy suppjy '% is to be continued to the Allies. ' ' 7% At Cleveland, Mr. Daniels, in a said American warships ofiall types, «s»J elusive of submarines, were actißi'«i*j chasers in European waters. ■ iT? " ; r'fV.i SUCCESS OF (LIBERTY LOAN. ~'H Received April 8, 5.5 p.m. ' 'JF, New York, April 1. ~*A A big demand is reported for the H/HfaM Liberty Loan. Two hundred cities' ei<Js> scribed their quota on the ftrsfc dago'sNew York district subscribed K&jtoQfl&ri dollars to-day. ' ' "-A •■•■•■---• .- :*