I do not know what he meant the speech for, but what it actually was, was a speech against preparedness.

So was the speech made on the same occasion by Lemuel P.Padgett, chairman of the House Committee on Naval Affairs.

It was a disingenuous speech, a speech to lull the country into confidence, a speech which, alone, should have been sufficient to prove Mr.Padgett's unfitness to serve on that committee.

Mr.Daniels argued that "Germany's preparedness had not kept Germany out of war"; that seemed enough, but there was one thing he said which utterly dumbfounded me.

It was this: "_The Southern statesman who serves his section best, serves the country best._" Let the reader reflect for a moment upon such an utterance.