Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1915-12-01
WILSON'S MESSAGE
TO Be DEFENCE PLEA
Preparedness Against Foreign Foes
and Foes Within VIII be Asked.
PRESIDENT ENDS HIS TASK.
Laws VIII be Asked to Cover Cases
Similar to That of Archibald.

try Tor Iull measure OF national pre-
paredness not only against an attack
ing foreign foe. but from enemies al
home. will be made by President Viii
son in his annual address to Congress
to be delivered a week from tomorrow
The President completed his address
late Monday afternoon and a White
House messenger hurried with it to the
Public Printer The message is aboul
four thousand words in length and it i
confined entirely to various aspects Of
the subjects of preparedness.
The feature of the appeal which
probably will attract the most atten-
tion is that in which the President
deals with the nations foes within its
own deTnain The President viii speak
frankly of the activities of those cit
liens of foreign birth who have en-
gagged in plots to further the interests
of foreign Power in disregard of che
interests of the United States.
Reference viii be made without
mincing words to the arson plots in
whereby it was hoped to prevent ex-
portation of munitions and to all the
other activities of agnets of foreign
governments in this country which
were designed to einbarrass or destroy
the industries in which the United
States Government has said that its
citizens have a right to indulge.
The President is expected to hark
back to his address delivered before
the Daughters of the American Revo-
luton in September for phrases in
which to characterize that element OF
our citizenship which fails to put the
interest of the American Government
above that of all others. A call for q
lineup even more emphatic and frank
than the one he uttered in that speech
is looked for by persons who have
watched developments in the last few
weeks in this country.
One measure which Attorney Cen
eral Gregory has urged on the Presi-
dent is an amendment to the Sherman
antitrust law whereby it will be made
illegal TO attempt to restrain com
merce by the commission of crimes
such as arson and bomb explosions
which the Federal Government has
been unable to deal with Adequately
under existing statutes. 1t is believed
also that a revision of the laws relat
ing to conspiracy and to the mainte
nance of the neutrality of the Amer
ican Government will be urged by
President Wilson.
| No information was obtainable as t
! just what steps the Administration has
| in mind to provide against thekrepeti
/ ton of such activities as the mission o
| the American correspondent James +
J. Archibald, who attempted to carry
/ secret dispatches from DIR. Dumba, the
Austrian Ambassador, to the Govern
ment at Vienna.
The Presidents deep interest in thu
Archibald case has led some official.
to believe that he will advocate legis
lation at this Congress which woulc
| provide for the punishment of Amer
lean citizens who attempt to perform
such services for foreign government.
in the future.
/ With respect to the national defens,
| programme the President will urge OF
Congress his view tnat the lessons O
the war are so pointed and clear as t,
make it pressing duty to provide
stronger instrumentalities for tht
maintenance of this country's- prerog
ative of Independent action.
The programme for the increase o
the army and navy viii be put fcrwar,
as the best judgment of the best mill
tary trained experts in the service o
the Government It will be urged a.
the least that Congress can do in de
veloping the national defense If tht
I lessons of the war are not to be ig
( nored entirely.
/ With respect to the cost of the pro
\ posed army and navy developments
the President viii point out that th,
necessary appropriations involve bu
small expenditures on the part of ;
nation so prosperous, so wealthy as tn,
/ United States is today. Recommends
tions as to the sources from. which tn,
| needed revenue is to be raiesd viii bs
made in general terms and will follow
the lines of Secretary of the Treasury
McAdoo's recent statement, which sug
| gested changes in the income tax IaN
! and tax on gasoline.
The Presidents theme of nationa
| preparedness will be carried beyond
the programme outlined by Secretar,
Garrison and Secretary Daniels. Prep
aration must also be made, he vii
| point out by the development of facil
! ities for carrying on our commerce
and for supplying our ships of war il
the event of hostilities. as well as fol
! transportation of the troops.
recommendation which viii bs
based on this thought call for the en-
actment of the Governments merchani
! marine measure. which has been form.
| ulated by Secretary McAdoo and other
Administration leaders. The incor-
poration OF this Recommendation in ths
address means that the President vii
commit the Administration to Mr.. Nc.
1 Adoo's latest plan of Government own.
| ersnip. which includes the creation oi
c1, -I Sl