The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-08

Washington, December 7.-President Wilson's address in full delivered to Congress today is as follows:
 Gentlemen of the Congress: Since l last had the privilege of addressing you on the state of the union the war of na ations on the other side of the sea, which had then only begun to disclose it's portentous proportions, has extended its threatening and sinister scope until il has swept within it's flame some DOT ton of every quarter of the globe, not excepting our own hemisphere, has al tered the whole face of international af- fairs and now presents prospect oi reorganization and reconstruction such as statesmen and peoples have never been called upon to attempt before.
 We have stood apart, studously neu- tral It was our manifest duty to do so. Not only did we have no part or interest in the policies which seem to have brought the conflict on; it was necessary, if a universal catastrophe was to be avoided, that limit should be set to the sweep of destructive war and that some part of the great family of nations should keep the processes of peace alive II only to prevent COlISOLlNO CSOiOlA1N ruin and the breakdown throughout the world of the industries by which its populations are fed and sustained. Ii was manifestly the duty of the self governed nations of this hemisphere to redress, if possible, the balance of econ omic loss and confusion in the other, ii they could do nothing more. In the Gay of readjustment and recuperation we earnestly hope and believe that they can be of infinite service.
 In this neutrality, to which they were ridden not only by their separate life and their habitual detachment from the politics Of Europe but also by a clear perception of international duty, the states of America have become conscious of a new and more vital community ot interest and moral partnership in affairs, more clearly conscious of the many com mon sympathies and interests and duties which bid them stand together.
 SOUTHERN REPUBLICS
 There was a time in the early days of our own great nation and of the re- publics fighting their way to independ- ence in Central and South America when the government of the United States looked upon itself as in some sort the guardian of the republics to the south of her as against any encroachments or efforts at political control from the other side of the water; felt it it's duty to play the part even without invitation from them; and l think that we can claim that the task was undertaken with a true and dSntereSted enthusiasm for the freedom of the Americas and the un- molested self-government of her inde- pendent peoples. But it was always diff ficult to maintain such a role without offense to the pride of the peoples whose freedom of action we sought to protect and without provoking serious miscon- captions of our motives, and every thoughtful man of affairs must welcome day in whose light we now stand when there is no claim of guardianship or thought of wards, but, instead, a full and honorab ble association as of partners between ourselves and our neighbors in the interest of all America, north and south Our concern for the independen- and prosperity of the states of Central and South America is not altered. We retain unabated the spirit that has in- spired us throughout the whole life of our government and which was so frank ly put into words by President Monroe. We still mean always to make a com mon cause of national independence and of political liberty in America. But that purpose is now better understood so far as it concerns ourselves. It is known not to be selfish purpose. It is known to have in it no thought of taking ad-