VISITORS FROM AMERICA

Evening Star, Issue 15343, 18 November 1913, Page 2

VISITORS FROM AMERICA

UNITED STATF.S EXHTBITIOX DELEGATION. [SrECIAL TO THE STAR.] BLUFF, November 18. Amongst the arrivals at the Bluff yesterday afternoon by the s.s. Ulinuiroa from Melbpurr.e was ex-Governor Alva Adams, of Colorado, U.S.A., a. commis-sioner-general of the Panama Pacific Exhibition. Mr Adams is accompanied by Major A. Cloman, of the Federal Aran(26th Infantry), Mr O'Neill Sevier (New York, and Mr T. G. Stallsmilh (Chicago). Mr Adams,, it may be mentioned, is a personal friend of President Woodrow Wilson and Mr \Y. J. Bryan (Secretary of State), ar.d was recently offered a high Government position, which he refused in order to aid the U.S.A. Government in their efforts to boom the Panama-Pacific Exhibition. Interviewed by yi>V_r representative on arrival, the ex-Governor said that he and his three fellow-Commissioners had ar.rived_:n New Zealand as delegate? from the U.S.A. Government, and were present in the name of President Wilson lo extend an invitation to New Zealanders lo exhibit at tho mammoth Exhibit ion which is to celebrate the opening oi the Panama Canal. They were, here to explain the objects and aims of the U.S.A. Government .in holding the Panama-Pacific Exhibition, and to show reasons why New Zealand"*? mam' facturcrs should advertise their .prodiKt--there. America.. New Zealand, and Australia had many interests in common, as their arms stretched across the Pacific. The Commission were sent, out by President Wilson, and it was the first Commission of the kind ever sent out. Certainly no similar Commission had ever left America's shores. They received no pallor their work, and were simply here a» American citizens delegated by the President and the Secretary of State. Continuing, Mr Adams pointed out that the Panama Canal meant as much to Australia_ and New Zealand as it, did to America, and the opening of the canal would be of untold benefit to the British colonies here. Asked as- to the Commissioners' programme, Mr Adams said that it remained with the citizens of New Zealand. To-day they would go on to Dunedin. Their next slop was t'o Christchurch. They had completed Australia, with the exception of Queensland, and their departure from Brisbane was timed for the 16th of Dc-combei, when they would leave for Java. Major Cloman was rpproaehed by your representative, and asked whet her he'was present on the Commission in a military Bense. The in the affirmative. He remarket! that his special, mission was to extend an invitation to the Australian and New Zealand Navies and the Australian and New Zealand Armies to be represented at the opening of the canal. The naval display would be an extensive one. but one of the features of the ceremonies would be from a military and not only a naval point of view. New Zealand was an Anglo-Saxon country, and the eyes of the other Anglo-Saxon nations were upon New Zealand and her compulsory military training. New Zealand was the only Anglo-Saxon nation that had dar«d to take"the step, although America and other Anglo-Saxon nations would like to, and so New Zealand was regarded as the experimental ground for the system. "It stands to reason," Major C'lomar added, "that one man out of 200 is no defence to a country, and your system is the only complete way. You have .aught the young men at the very age when they have a desire to handle firearms. Yes, 14 to 25. Tt could not be better. You have caught them at the very ag* when they desire to replace sticks with rifles, and help to defend the country. All the Anglo-Saxon territories arc Tntchtnu your experiment."' Major Cloman concluded with expressing a wi.-h that the New Zealand Territorials and boys would be well represented at the Exhibition. The members of the Commission left for Invercargili, where they stayed overnight, travelling to Dunedin by the first express in the morning.