The Washington times., 1914-12-08
Wilson'S Message Optimistic

almost every point. ships and lives have
been lost in threading what were sup
posed 10 be wclI-known main channels.
We have not provided adequate vessels
or adequate machinery for the survey
and chartinG. We have used old YES
sels that were not big enough or strong
enough and which were so nearly uh-
seaworthy that our inspectors would
not have allowed private owners 10
send them to sea. This Is a matter
which. as l have said. seems small. Dat
Is in reality very great Its Importance
has only TO he looked into to bc APP
preciated.
Before ! close may / say a few words
upon two topics. much discussed out oil
doors. upon which IL is highly impor-
tant that our judgments should be clear
definite. and steadfast?
One OF these is economy in Govern
ment expenditures. The duty of econ
omy is not debatabc II is manifest ana
imperative. In the appropriations We
pass We are spending the money Of inc
great people whose servants we are-not
our own. We arc trustees and respon-
sible stewards in the spending. Inc
only thing debatable and upon Which
we should be careful to make our
thought and purpose clear Is the kind nt
economy demanded of us. 7 assert with
the greatest confidence that the people
Of the United states are not jealous OF
the amount their Government costs II
they are sure that they get what
they need and desire for the outlay.
that the money is being spent for OBJ
iects of which they approve, and
that il is being applied with good
business sense and management.
Governments Grow, Piecemeal.
Governments grow. piecemeal both in
their tasks and in the means by which
those tasks are to be performed. and
very few governments are organized. L
venture to say, as wise and experienced
business mon would organize them il
they had a clean sheet of paper 10 write
upon. Certainly the Government Of the
United States is not. ! think ;hat it is
generally agreed that there should be
a systematic reorganization and reas-
sembhng OF its parts 50 as to secure
greater efficiency and effect consider
able savings in expense But the
amount of money saved in that way
would. l believe. though no doubt con-
siderable in Itself. running. it may be.
into the millions. be relatively small
small, mean, n proportion TO the
total necessary OUTLAWS of the Govern
niCnt. 1t would be thoroughly worth ef-
fecting. as every saving would. great
or small. Our duty is not altered by
the scale Of the saving. But my point
is that the people of the United States
do not wish TO curtail the activities of
this Government; they wish. rather. to
enlarge thea; and with ersTv enlarge
mcnt. with the mere growth, indeed. of
the country itself there must come. Of
course, the inevitable increase of ex-
pense. The sort of economy we ought
TO practice may be effected. and ought
TO be effected. by a careful study and
assessment of the tasks to be per-
,1s.-r
with the mere growth, indeed OF the
country itself. there must come. Of
course, the inevitable increase in ex-
pense. The sort of economy We ought
to practice may be effected. and ought
to be effected. by a careful study and
assessment of the tasks TO be per-
formed: and the money spent ought to
be made TO yield the best possible re-
turns in efficiency and achievement
And, like good stewards, we should so
account for every dollar Of % apDro-
priations as TO make II perfectly evident
il was spent.
II is not expenditure hut extravagance
that we should fear being criticised for.
not paying for the legitimate enter
pr.ses and undertakings OF a great Gov
ernment whose people command what
IL should do. but adding what viii
benefit only a few or pouring money
ont for what need not have been "ln-
dertaken 1t all or might have been
postponed or better aud more eco
Ironically conceived and carried ont
The nation Is not niRgardly: il Is vc-y
generous. Il will chide us only IL we
forget for whom we pay money out ana
whose money it is we pay. These are
large and general standards hut they
al not very difficult of application To
particular cases
The other topic ] shall take leave TO
mention goes deeper into the principles
OF our national life and policy. II is
the subject Of national defense.
II can not be discussed without first
answering some very searching u,Ies-
lions. II is said in some quarters that
We are not prepared for war What is
meant by being prepared? Is II meant
mat we are not ready upon brief notice
10 put nation in the field. a nation az
men trained to arms? OF course We are
not ready TO do that: and we shall
never be Ia tim" Of peace so long as
We retain our present political PRINCIPLES
ana institutions. And what H. II that
II is suggested We should be prepared
to do To defend ourselves against at
tack? We have always found means TO