Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1915-12-10
NEED ARMY
OF CITIZENS
SAYS WILSON
Continued from page p.


possible that men sworn into its own
citizenship. men drawn out Of great
free stocks such as supplied some Of
the best and strongest elements Of that
little. but how heroic, nation that in a
high day Of old staked its very life to
free itself from every ENHANCEMENT
that had darkened the fortunes Of the
older nations and set up a new stand
ard here-that men of such origins and
such free choices Of allegiance would
ever turn in malign reaction against
the government and people who had
welcomed and nurtured them and seek
to make this proud country once more
hOtbed Of European passion A lit.
tie while ago such a thing would have
seemed incredible. Because 1t was in.
credible we made no preparation for
It. We would have been almost
ashamed TO prepare for it. as II we
were suspicious Of ourselves. our own
comrades AMI neighhors: But the ugly
and incredible thing has actually come
about. and we are without adequate
federal laws to deal with 1t. | urge
you to enact such laws at the earliest
possible moment and feel that in doing
so am urging You TO do nothing less
than save the honor and self respect
of the nation. Such creatures of pas.
sion. disloyalty and anarchy must be
crushed out. They are not many, but
they are infinitely malignant. and the
hand Of our power should close over
them at once. They have formed plots
TO destroy property. they have entered
Into conSpiraci0i Il 49,. e.. 49, aIiit"&LIf
Of the government tn lave sClr.,i
action of the govcrlas,. in order ia
serve interests alien 10 ctr own. 1t j.
possible to deal with these things vcri
effectually. ! need not suggest the
terms in which they may he dealt with
l wish that it could be said that only
few men, mis!ed by mistaken sent.
ments Of allegiance to the governments
under which they We're born, had been
guilty of disturbing the self possession
and misrepresentinS the temper and
principles of the country during these
days of terrible war, when 1t would
American would instinctively make it
his duty and his pride to keep the
scales of judgment even and prove him
self a partisan of no nation but his
own. But it cannot. There are some
men among us and many resident
abroad who, though born and bred in
the United States and calling them.
selves Americans. have so forgotten
themselves and their honor as citizens
as to put their passionate sympathy
with one or the other side In the great
European conflict above their regard
for the peace and dignity Of the United
States. They also preach and practice
disloyalty. No laws, suppose. can
reach corruptions Of the mind and
heart, but | should not speak Of others
without also speaking Of these and ex-
pressing the even deeper humiliation
and scorn which every self possessed
and thoughtfully patriotic American
must feel when he thinks Of them and
Of the discredit they are daily bringing
upon US.
What is more important Is that the
industries and resources of the country
should be available and ready for
mobilization. 1t is the more impera-
lively necessary. therefore. that we
should promptly devise means for do
ing what we have not yet done-that
we should give intelligent federal aid
and stimulation to industrial and voca-
tiOnal education. as we have long done
in the large field Of our agricultural
industry; that at the same time that
we safeguard and conserve the natural
resources of the country we should
put them at the disposal Of those who
will use them promptly and intelli-
gently. as was sought to be done in
the admirable bills submitted to the
last congress from its committees on
the public lands. bills which earnest
ly recommend in principle to your con-
sideration; that we should put into
early operation some provision for
rural credits which will add to the ex
tensive borrowing facilities already
afforded the farmer by the reserve
bank act adequate instrumentalities
by which long credits may be obtained
on land mortgages and that we should
study more carefully than they have
hitherto been studied the right adapta
ton of our economic arrangements to
changing conditions.
Many conditions about which we
~ icln tn1 hni a.
altered from decade to decade, it is
evident, under our very eyes and are
likely to change even more rapidly
and more radically in the days imme-
dately ahead of us when peace has
returned to the world and the nations
Of Europe once more take up their
tasks of commerce and industry with
the energy of those who must bestir
themselves to build anew
Transportation Problem
In the meantime may | make this
suggestion? The transportation prob
lem Is an exceedingly serious and
pressing one in this country. There
has from time to time of late been rea-
son to fear that our railroads would
not much longer be able to cope with
it successfully. as at present equipped
and co-ordinated. | suggest that it
would be wise to provide for COM
mission of inquiry to ascertain by II
thorough canvass of the whole ques-
ton whether our laws as at present
framed and administered are as serv
.cea1ie as they L.is nj be in the so'u
ton of the problem. 1t is obviously
g problem that lies nj the very foun-
Such an inquiry ought to draw out
every circumstance and opinion worth
considering. and we need to know
all sides Of the matter If we mean to