The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-12-11
President Points Out Big Prob
lens Which Confront
Congress.
MUST OPEN Gates OF TRADE
Ships to Garry Goods to Empty Mar
Tets Is imperative Necessity
Our National Defense Lies in
Our Citizenry-Neod
Of Economy.

Washington, Dec. S.-The new tasks
and duties imposed upon the United
States as a result Of the European war
occupied the greater portion of Presi-
dent Wilson's message to congress
read today before q joint session Of
the two houses. The message follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
HI session upon which you are now
entering will be the closing session Of
the SiXty-third congress. a congress, |
venture to say, which will long be re
membefed for the great body of
thoughtful and constructive work
which 1t has done, in loyal response
to the thought and needs OF the coun-
try. | should like III this address to re
view the notable record and try to
make adequate assessment of it, but
no doubt we stand too near the work
that has been done and are ourselves
too much part Of it to Play the part Of
historians toward it. Moreover, OR
thoughts are . more Of the future
than OF tie past.
While we have worked 1T our tasks
Of peace the circumstances OF the
whole age have been altered by war.
What We have done for our own land
and our own people we did With the
best that was in us, whether of char
acter 81 Of intelligence, with sober
enthusiasm and a confidence in the
principle upon which we We're acting
which sustained us at every step of
the d~saicnlt undertaking; but it is
done. Ii has passed from our hands.
It IS now an established part Of the
legislation of tic country Its useful
ness. iI8 effects, viii disclose them
selves ln experience. What chiefly
strikes ua now, al We look about us
durias these closins days Of il year
which Wfll be forever memorable in
the history OF the world, Is that We
face rg# tasks. have been facing them
these aix months. must face t4em ILL
the months to cume-faee them Wita
out pa#s ana feeling, like men who
have satten everything but a com
mon d and tha fact that Ne afo
reHrase natives 81 q great lsop!e
whose 81 ought III hot of It's bat Ell Int
Ameriea owes KS herself and ~ an
man15a8 in such circumstances as
these a5oa witch We Iooti amazed and
anxious
Europe VIII Need Our Re!P.
War as Interrupted the means of
trade ai call hut also the process es
Of pIe toa. III -1ea6e it's destroy
ing me4 ard resources Wholesale and
upon ! .lo gnHE# seaefted and ap.
palline. IMsre I'D reason to fsat That
the tflI aesr, liz 1T be mot already
at hare &aaa seraral Ell tse eo5tu-
tries o europe Will and il difficult 10
do fer a3oiF people What they have
hitherto been always easily able tn 60,
many sential and fundamental
things At any rate they VIII need our
help ara our manifold services NV they
have never needed them before; and
we shoHla be ready, more fit and
ready tram We have ever been.
1t is cf equal consequence that the
nations whom Europe has usually sup
piled With innumerabie articles OF
manufacture and commerce can D
get only d small part Of what they for
merly imported and eagerly look to Us
to supply their all but empty mar
kets. This is particularly true Of ous
own neighbors, the states, great anc
small, Of Central and South America
Here are markets which we must sup
ply, and we must find the means OF ac
ton. The United States, this grea,
people for whom we speak and act
should be ready, as never before, t6
serve itself and to serve mankind
ready with its resources, its energies
it's forces of production, and it's means
of distribution.
We Need Ships.
1t is 4 very practical matter, a mat
ter OF ways and means. We have The
resources, but are we fully ready Il
what We have. have we the means q
hand to distribute it? We are not full,
ready: neither have we the means 0
distribution. We are willing, but NJ
are not fully able. We have the wisl
to serve and to serve greatly, GeneT
ously; huI we are not prepared as W.
should he. We are not ready 70 mo
bilize our resources at once We ar
not prepared to use them immediatal.
and NE ttair best. without delay an
without waste.
TO speak plainly we have grossl