Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-05
Principles Are Well Known.

Our principles are well known 1t is
not necessary to avow them again. We
believe in political liberty and founded
our great government to obtain 1t, the
liberty of men and of peopies-of men
to choose their own lives ana OF peo-
pies to choose their own allegiance.
Our ambition, also, all the world has
knowledge Of 1t is not only to be
free and prosperous ourselves, but also
to be the friend and thoughtful parti-
san of those who are free or who de-
sire freedom the world over. If we
have had aggressive purposes and COW
etouS ambitions, they were the trult OF
our thoughtless youth as u nation and
we have put them aside. We shall,
confidently believe, never again take
another foot of territory by conquest.
We shall never in any circumstances
seek to make an independent people
subject to our dominion; because we
believe, we paSSiouately believe, in the
right of every people to choose their
own allegiance and be free of masters
altogether. For ourselves we wish
nothing but the full liberty of self-de-
velopment; and with ourselves in this
great matter we associate all the peo-
pies of our own hemisphere. We wish
not only for the United States but for
them the fullest freedom of indepen-
dent growth and of action, for we
know that throughout this hemisphere
the same aspirations are everywhere
being worked out, under diverse condi-
ultimate object.
All this is very clear to US and will,
L confidently predict, become more
and more clear to the whole world as
the great processes of the future un-
fold themselves. 1t is with full
consciousness of such principles and
such ambitions that we are asking our
selves at the present time what our
duty is with regard to the armed force
of the natLan. Within a year we have
witnessed what we did not believe Dos
sible, a great European conflict involv-
ing many of the greatest nations of the
world. The influences of u great war
are everywhere in the air. All Europe
is embattled. Force everywhere spea ks
out with a loud and imperious voice in
a titanic struggle of governments. and
from one end of our own dear country
10 the other men are asking one an
other what our own force is, how far
we are prepared to maintain ourselves
against any interference with our ma
tonal action Or development
In no mans mind, | am sure is there
even raised the question of the willful
use OF force on our part against any
nation or any people. No matter VIVA
military or naval force the United States
might develop, statesmen throughout
the whole world might rest assured
that we were gathering that force, not
Tor attack IN any quarter, not for ag-
erosion of any kind. not for the sat
lsiactlon of any political or iuterna-
sure of our own security. We have il
in mind to be prepared, but not for
war, but only for defense; and with
the thought constantly in our minds
that the principles we hold most dear
can be achieved by the slow processes
of history only in the kindly and
wholesome atmosphere of peace, and
not by the use of hostile force The
mission of America in the WORLD is es-
scntially a mission of peace and good
VIII among men. She has become the
home and asylum of men of all creeds
and races. Within her hospitable Dor
ders they have found homes and con
genial associations and freedom and a
wide and cordial welcome, and they
have become part of the bone and
sinew and spirit of America itself
America has been made UP out of the
nations of the world and is the FRIEND
of the nations of the world.