Weekly journal-miner., 1915-12-15
PREPAREDNESS IS THE KEYNOTE
 OF MESSAGE
DUTY NOT ONLY TO THIS NATION BUT TO THOSE WITH WHOM IT HAS MADE COMMON CAUSE.

partnership between the nations of the Western Hemispheres in world aiiair@was proclaimed by President Wilson today in his third annual ad- dress to Congress, the theme of which was preparedness by the United Stat cs to defend not only its own inde- pendence but the rights of those with whom it has made common cause. The message was read by inc Presi- dent to the Senate and House as sembled in point session in the cham Der Of the House.
 Every recommendation embodied in the document had to do with compre hensive plans for strengthening the national defenses. The program in cluded the army and navy plans al ready made public by Secretaries Gar rison and Daniels; legislation for gov erment owned merchant ships; rural credit law; the Philippine and Porto Rico bills which failed of final pas sage at tine last session; conservation legislation; a law giving federal. aid to industrial and vocational educa- ton; and the creation of a commis- sion to inquire into the transporta- ton problem.
 Naturalized and native born Ameri- cans who, sympathizing with belliger- ents abroad, have plotted and con sDired to violate their own countrys neutrality were scathingly denounced by the President, and Congress was urged to provide adequate federal laws to deal with such offenders.
 Internal taxation was proposed as the means of providing the money necessary to add to the naval and milf tary establishments. Sources of taxa ton suggested were incomes, gaso- line. naptha. automobiles and internal explosion engines, fabricated iron and steel, and a stamp tax on bank checks. Extension of the war revenue bill and continuance of the present tariff on sugar were recommended, and the sale of bonds opposed.
 This message was the longest Mir. Wilson has ever delivered to congress. He began with statement that since he last addressed congress:
 The European war has extended its threatening and sinister scope un- til it has swept into its flame some portion of every quarter of the globe, not excepting our own hemisphere, has altered the whole face of interna- tional affairs, and now presents a prospect of reorganization and recon struction such as statesmen and peo- pies nave never been called upon to attempt before"
 The United States has remained neutral. he said, because it had no interest in the causes and because it was the duty of the nations of the western hemisphere to prevent col 1ective economic ruin.
 The president pointed to the at titude of the United States towards Mexico as proving that this country has no selfish motives in its interest in countries in Central and South America. There was a time, he said, when the United States looked upon itself as a sort of guardian of the republics to the south as against the encroachment or efforts of political control from Europe
 But, he added, it was always difficult to maintain such a role with out offense to the pride of the peo- pies whose freedom of action we sought to protect, and every thought ful man of affairs must welcome the altered circumstances of the new day in whose light we now stand, when there is no claim of guardianship oi thought of wards, but, instead, full and honorable association of partners between ourselves and our neighbors, in the interests of all America, North and South.
 Our concern for the independence and the prosperity of the States of Central and South America is not altered. We retain unabated the spirit that has inspired us throughout the whole life of our government and which was so frankly put into words by President Monroe We still mean always to make common cause of national independence and of politi- cal liberty in America. But that pur- pose is now better understood so far as it concerns ourselves. 1t is known not to be a selfish purpose. It is known to nave in it no thought of taking advantage of any government in this hemisphere or playing its political fortunes for our own benefit. All the governments of America stand, so far as we are concerned, upon a footing of genuine equality and unprecedented independence"