The Dermott news., 1915-12-09
MESSAGE READ TO CONGRESS
Larger Army and Navy Urged Trained Citizenry the Nations Greatest Defense - Disloyal Acts of Fore ign.5orn Citi- zens Scored-No Fear
 of War.

the war ot nations on the other s.de ot the sea which had then only begun to disclose It's porteutous proportions, has extended It's threatening and sinister Srape until u has swept within t's flame some portion of every quarter of the globe. not excepting our hemisphere has altered the whole face ot international affairs, and now presents a prospect of reorganiza- ton and reconstruction such as states men and peoples have never been called upon to attempt before.
 We have stood apart. studiously neutral It was our manifest duty 10 do SD. In the day of readJuStment and reeuPera- tlon We earnestly hope and behcSe that we can be of infinite service
 In this neutrality to which they were biddeu not only by their separate life and the.r habltual detachment from the poll ties of Europe bat also by clear per ception of international daty. the states of America have become conscious Of a new and mere vital community ot inter est and moral partnership h affairs more clearly conscious of ihe many common sympathies and interests anu duties which bid them stand together.
 We have been put to the test In the ease pf Mexico and we have stood the test Whether we have benefited Mexico by the course we have pUrsued remains to be seen. Her fortunes are fin her own hands Bat We have at least proved that we Will net take advantage of her In her distress and undertake te impose upen her an order and government of our own choosing
 We Will aid and befrien4 Mexico, but we will not coeree her, and oar course stth regard her ought to be satieieat proof to all America Chat We seek uo DO AtIcaI sazeruuty IF selfish control
 Not Hostile Rivals.
 The moral Is. tHat tae states ot Amer lea are not hostile rivals. out cooper. ating friends. and that thgtr growing sense Of community af interest, alike tl matters political and 4n matters eeeHam ic, Is likely to Else them a Uew 5ita- canoe as factors tu international .tg...r9 and In tae poutcal history of tbe .Wur.a Il presents tham as m yery desG aa+ true sense a uutt n world a1a=fs# #l#f ItuH partners standing tosat5e1 Eessaso thinking together qEtgK N -tI gaIaEtau symIauies aad eamuau tdetts. Seiar4t ed, tsey are subject tH a. tge et..=~ eaf rents of tae confused pa.tt5z $ of a w#t5a Of hostile rtEaHr.gE. uHIted ia sFlft aa- purpose tHey eaHaot ee disappointed et thelr le3.eiaz at~=tiF.
 Thls Is FaH- .tfa-ffe1tls-1 + has UHas of tue splat ~ euuisre tn A. l. k tar eis. bu5Hueaf. t#e eHaafs.G embodiment. et the spirit et Inv and independence aa4 ibcr,y and mutual stttl=e
 There lS. venture ta l--Ht uat aa esle- elaI s=H f##a=r 5#7t TOW atttHHsus En this wAz.e matter If Gr.ln 4lE ,ae A##e#- teAs t.4,,ter Iu uaads et Honortt,e I-.It. ners'ae ald eatIal atF11taEe because 'f the yAata.H r#.t.. fz.st U-Erfs WH-eG aha wotld uast Inevitably Witness Ntt5.a t.a neXt EeHrHlj.a a. vixen ielae seaiI aaFr at Ast resumed us u.alHt.I tasks F. the performance ef tasse tasks ] eo .. tEe Auar.#as ta ae destined ta play u.rr parts taArt.er au, interested to IN Your attention on il.s prospect now hr. cause unless }sa take t within NaGt view and permit the fuI. significance of t 10 command yeur thought cannot find the t.sht lEht tn which te set forth tho particular natter ttpt lies V ttr very front ot ms whole thought as | nd dress You today mean national de= fense.
 10 one who really eempreheHas tte spirit of tAe great people for whom WE arc appointed te speak e9u faI to Hrr# celNe taat their passion tS for p"d9t. laelr geoiuS hest a sptayea in the practice ot the arts of peace Great deWarrJrt.s ate not heNiErrant They le aot sees ar dc sire war Their thuuEdt IS of Cia3HIduaH liberty and of the free .auer fhat supports life and Gle uugvusured taeaE.t tlV; qale ekeas tt Conquest ard dominion are net in our reckoning. or agreeable ta our principles Baj tast because wr Gen'Rnd
 
 turtri government if oHr own lives upon our own principles of risht and Laerty We resent from whatever quarter ls maN come tte aggression Ne ourselves VIII not practice Nc IustSt up5u SeCUr.ty In prosecatHs our scif-chaseu hues of ua- uoual development W @ do more than that We demand it also for others Ne dc not condue our enthusiasm tHr iraf vidual ijherty and free national develop ment to the incidents and movements ot affairs which affect only ourselves We feel it Wherever there is people that tries t0 walk in these di0leult paths of independence and right From the first We have made common cause with all partislps of liberty on trls side of the sea. and have deemed it as important that our uetghhurs should be free from all outside domination as that We our selves should D." have set America aside as a whole for the uses nr independent nations and political freemen
 Might to Maintain Right
 Out of such thoughts grow all our poll cies- We regard war merely as a means of asserting the rights et a people against aggression And we are as tercely iell- ous of coerClve or dietatorial power wtth- fin our own nation as of aggression from without. We will not maintain a stand ina army except for uses which are as necessary In times of peace as Tn times
 
 that our military peace establishment Is no longer than ia actually and continuous iy needed for the uses of days in which no enemies move against us But we do believe in body of free citizens ready and sufficient To take care of themselves | and of the governments which they have . set up tp serve them In our constitutions ] themselves We have commanded that .tbe right of the people to keep and bear arms shall nor be iUtringed," and our confidence has been that our safety in times of danger would lie in the rising of the nation to take care of itself. as the farmers rose at Lexington
 But war has never been a mere matter Of men and guns. IL is a thing of dtsci- plined might If our citizens are ever to fight effectively upon a sudden summons. they must know how modern fighting Ia done. and what to do when the summons comes to render themselves immedta tely available and immediately effective And