El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-07

into its flame some portion Of every
l quarter of the globe, not excepting our
own hemispheEes has altered the whole
| face of international affairs. and now
| presents a prospect " reorganization
and reconstruction such as statesmen
| and peoples have never been called
| upon TO attempt before
Neutrality Of the l. :.
The United States has remained neu-
trail, he said. because it had no interest
in the causes and because 1t was the
duty of the nations OF the western
,. hemisphere to prevent collective econ
II, omic ruin.
The president pointed to the attitude
/ Of the United states towards Mexico as
/ proving that this country has no selfish
I motives in its interest in countries in
1 Central and South America There
! was time" he said, when the United
/ States looked upon itself as a sort OF
| guardian of the republics 20 the south
/ as against the encrOachment or efforts
Of political control from Europe.
: 4 Difficult Role
| But" he added, 1T was always diff
I cult to maintain such 2 role without
! offense TO the pride of the peoples
/ whose freedom Of action we sought to,
! protect. and every thoughtful man of
! affairs must welcome the altered cir
I cumstances of the new day IN whose
/ light-We now stand. when there is no
l claim of guardianship or thought Of
I wards, but, instead, full and honor
/
ourselves and our neighbors, in the in
| terests of all America, North and
South
and the prosperity of the states OF
Central and South America is not al
tered. We retain undated the spirit
| that has inspired us throughout the
/ whole life of our government and
! By president Monroe
Our Purpose Better Understood.
we still mean always to make
| common cause Of national independence
and Of political liberty in America But
that purpose is now better understood
so far as il copcerns ourselves It is
known not to be a selfish purpose. It
is known to have IN II no thought OF
taking advantage of any government
in this hemisphere or playing its politi-'
cal fortunes for our own benefit All
far as we are concerned, upon footing
of genuine equality and unquesuoned
I independence
National Defence.
4 am interested to fix your attention
on this prospect now because unless
you take il within your view and per
init the full significance OF it to COM
mand your thought 1 can not find the
right light in which to set forth the
1Qarticular matter that lies at the very
front Of my whole thought as address
yo6, today. mean national defence"
Tbs passion Of the American people,
the president declared. was for peacei
that conquest and dominion was not
in their Neckoning nor agreeable 10
their principles
but lust because we demand IN
molested Development and the undis-
turbed government Of our own lives
upon our own principles Of right and
whatever quarter it may come, the
aggression we ourselves viii not prac-
tice- We insist Upon security in prose
cutting our self-cthosen lines of national
do n
We demand it also for others"
War-Wkat II Means.
War. the president declared. was
regarded by the United States merely
as a means of ASSERTING the rights of
a people against aggression, and that
eve are as fiercely jealous Of coercive
or dictatorial power within our own
nation as from aggression from with
out" He said the patton would not
maintain a standing Narmy except for
uses which are necessary in times of
peace as in times OF war, but that the
country did believe iR a body Of free
citizens ready and sufficient to take
care OF themselves and OF the govern
ment.
But war has never been mere
matter Of men and arms" he continued
1t is a thing of disciplined might II
our citizens are ever 20 fight effec-
lively upon sudden Summons. they
must know how modern fighting is
done, and what TO do when the sum
mons comes TO render themselves i'm
mediately available and Immediately
effective And the governa1ent must be
their servant in this matter, must sup
ply them with the training they need
to take care Of themselves and OF it.
The military arm Of their government.
which they viii not allow 10 direct
them, they may properly use TO serve
them and make their independence
secure-and not their own, indepen-
dence merely, but the rights also OF
those with whom they have made com
mon cause, should they also ,be put IN I
jeopardy"
Wants Bigger Army.
The president presented thei war de- I
partment plans for siren theuing the /
army as the essential first step" and ]
Tor the present sufficient The plans Z
include the increasing Of the standing I
and the establishment Of l
supplementary force of 100000 dis /
ciplined citizens. who would undergo /
framing Tor short periods throWghout J
three years of a six years enlistment
Tt would depend upon the patriotic 1
feeling OF the young men OF the icoun- /
try wnether they responded 70 sVch 4
call to service or not, said the presl-
dent. 1T would depend upon the na- /
triOtic spirit of the employers of the
country whether they made it possible
for the younger men in their employ 10 4
respond under favorable. conditionS or
not / for one, do not doubt the lpa-
rriotic devotion either of our young
men or of those who give. them en-;
DlOyment-those for whose benefit apd
protection they would in fact enlist. |
would look forward to the success of
such an experiment with entire conf
iidence." !
4 Definite Navy Program
Outlining the details of the navy
plan presented by secretary Daniels.
The president said that 1T involves n
lnly a shortening of the time within
which plans long matured shall be car I
led out; but it does make definite and
explicit a program which has hereto
'ore been only implicit. held in the
minds Of the committees on naval al
airs and disclosed in the debates of
he two houses but nowhere formulated
pr formally adopted X X 1t
seems to me very clear that it will be