Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1915-12-07

Urges Defense Program-calls At
tention to Grave Matters Con-
fronting Us at Home

Washington, Dec. President WI
SON read in person his message De-
fore Congress today. Speaking Oh 'lie
war now in progress in Europe ana
~ ,a,,tral stand taken by the Unit
cd States the President says;
In this neutrality. to which we were
,;dden not only by separate !1e aiia ~,
tah;tnal detachment from the poi'-
t;cS Of Europe, but also by a cie;'!
,,arcant;on of international duty. tAe
States of America have Decolie ou!
scious of a new and more VlI<.i eot
munity of interest and mofas pal
nership in affairs, more clearly Gcn-
sc;ons them any common syrnpathic.%I
and interests and duties when on
them stand together.
In speaking of the South America
rcpublics the. President says:
Om concern for the independence
and prosperity Of the states OF Cen
traI and South America is not altered.
Wa retain unabated the spirit tha'
has inspired us throughout the whoie
l;fe Of our Government ard WElch
was so frankly put into WORDS py
president Monroe. We still mean al
wavs to make 4 COMMON cause OF n, ma. ia.
tional independence and OF foiisic'si
liberty in America. But that puft'osc
is now better understood so iar as
Il concerns ourselves. 1t IS Known
not to he selfish purpose. it known
to hayc in it 10 thought of taHlag :id
vantage Of any government IN tniS
enfiYpfe,c or playing its ppilticaL ios'
,,,sns ss1z.a hene IS: g. y =
Governments OF. America stand, so Ia!
as we are concerned, upon footing
of genuine equality and unqncstionc"
independence.
We hayi been put to the test in the
ease of Mexico, and we have stooa
the test. Whether we have benetiteo
Mexico by the course we have puf'
snaa re.aains to be seen. Her fortunes
,re in her own hands. But we nave al
lnast proved that we will not take
advantage Of her in her distress ana
undertake to impose upon her an OF
dor and government of our own cnooS-
ing.
This is Pan-Americanism. It mas
none of the spirit Of empire III II. II
Is the embodiment, the ctfectual en-
hodiment, of the, spirit OF law anG
independence and liberty and mutuai
service.
Great democracies are not bellige-
rents They do not seek OF desire war
Their thoughts are Of individual llber-
~ and Of the free labor that sup
norts life and the uncensored thought
that quickens it. Conquest ana 40
minion are not in our reckoning, OF
agreeable to our principles. But Just
because we demand unmolested de-
veloprnent and the undisturbed gov
ernment of our own lives upon our
own principles Of right and liberty
we resent. from whatever quarter II
may come, the aggression we our
selves will not, practice. We insist up
on security i'll prosecuting our self
chosen lines of national development.
We do more than that. We demand
it also for others.
Among the other observations and
recommendations made by the Presi-
dent are the following:
The plans of the Department OF
War for more adequate national re-
fense, viii be laid before you, which
urge you TO sanction and put into
effect as soon as they can be proper
iy scrutinizcd and discussed. They
seem to me for the present sufficient.
BY way of making the country
ready to assert some part OF ITS rea!
power promptly and upon large
scale. contcmplates supplementing the
army by force of four hundred
thousand disciplined citizens, raised
in increments Of one hundred and
thirty-three thousand a year through
ont period of three yeares. This 1t Is
proposed to do by process of en-
listmcnt under which the serViceable
men Of the country would be asked TO
oind themselves to serve with the
colors for purposes of training Tor
short periods, throughout three years
and 10 come to the colors at call at
any time, throughout an additional
"furiopgti" period of three years.
Their period of annual training woulo
not necessarily exceed two months II
;he year
The Secretary Of the Navy is ask
ing also for. the immediate addition
to the personel of the navy Of 100
sailors, $500 APPRENTICE seamen, ant
1.5O0 marines. This increase wouIe
be sufficient to care for the ship
which are to be completed within the
fiscal year 1917 and also for the mum
her of men which must be put il
training to man the ships, which vii
be completed sstty . 1918. It il