Omaha daily bee., 1914-12-09

which they approve. and that 1t is being
management
Governments grow. piecemeal. both IN
their tasks and in the means by which
those tasks are 60 be performed and
very few governments are organized.
venture 20 say, as wise and experienced
business men would organize them II they
had a clean sheet OF paper to write upon.
Certainly the government OF the United
States Is not. think that II Is generally
agreed that there should be systematic
reorganization and reasscmbllnE Of its
parts 40 as 20 secure greater efficiency
and effect considerable savings In eX-
pense. nut the amount OF money saved
In that way would. believe, though no
doubt considerable IN itself, running, Il
may be. into the millions. be relatively
small-small. near. in proportion TO the
total necessary outlays Of the govern
ment II would be thoroughly worth eff
fectng ms 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 gov
eminent: they wish. rather. TO enlarge
them; and with every enlargement. with
the mere growth indeed OF the country
itself, there must come, OF course, the
inevitable increase OF expense. The sort
OF economy we ought to practice may he
effected, and ought to be effected by a
careful study and assessment Of the tasks
to be performed; and the money sRent
ought to be made to yield the best pos
sible returns In efficiency and achieve
mcnt And, like good stewards, we should
go 90
preparations as to make II perfectly owl
dent what 1t was spent for and In what
way It was spent
1t is not expenditure but extravaganza
that We should fear being criticized for;
not paying for the legitimate enterprises
and undertakings of great government
whose people command what 1t should
do. but adding what will benefit only a
few or pouring money out for what need
not have been undertaken at all or might
have been postponed, or better and more
economically conceived and carried out.
The nation Is not niggardly; II Is very
generous. II will chide us only II we for
get for whom we pay money out and
whose money II is we pay These are
large and general standards. but they are
not very difficult of application TO par
ticular cases.
Problem OF National Defense.
The other topic I shall take leave to
mention goes deeper into the principles
of our national life and policy. 1t Is the
subject of national defense.
1t cannot be discussed without first
answering some very searching questions.
II is said in some quarters that we are
not prepared for war. What is meant by
lx.E T.. - AHna V-n
not ready upon brief notice to put a ma
ton in the field, nation of men trained
to arms? or course we are not ready to
do that; and we shall never be in time
of peace so long as we retain our present
political principles and institutions. And
what is it that it Is suggested we should
be prepared to do? To defend ourselves
against attack? We have always found
means to do that and shall find them
whenever 1t is necessary without calling
our people away from their necessary
tasks to render compulsory military serv-
ice in times of peace.
Allow me to speak with great plainness
and directness upon this great matter and
to ayow my convictions with deep earn
estness. / have tried to know what
America Is, what her people think. what
they are. what they most cherish and
hold dear. ! hope that some of their
finer passions are in my own heart-somo
of the great conceptions and desires which
gave birth to this government and which
have made the voice of this people voice
of peace and hope and liberty among the
peoples of the world and that. speaking
my own thoughts. l shall. at least in
part. speak theirs also. however family
and inadequately. upon this vital matter.
Champion of Peace.
We are at peace with all the world.
No one who speaks counsel based on
fact or drawn from a just and candid
Interpretation of realities can say that
there is reason to fear that from any
quarter our independence or the integrity
of our territory is threatened. Dread of
the power of any other nation we are
incapable Of We are not jealous OF
rivalry in the fields of commerce or OF
any other peaceful achievement. We
mean to live our lives as we will; but
we mean also to let live. We are, indeed
a true friend to all the nations of the
r., world, because we threaten none covei
the possessions OF none, desire the over
throw OF none. Our friendship can be
accepted and is accepted without reserva-
ton. because it Is offered in a spirit and
for purpose which no one need ever
question or suspect. Therein lies ouI
greatness. We are the champions of peace
and OF concord. And we should be very
Jealous of this distinction which we have
sought to earn. Just now we should be
particularly Jealous OF Il, because It Is
our dearest present hope that this char
acter and reputation may presently. ir
Gods providence, bring us an opportunity
such as has seldom been vouchsafed any
nation, the opportunity to counsel and
obtain peace in the world and reconcilia-