Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-12-16
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Wilson Voices Policy of Pan-Americanism, Urges Defense
Measures, Investigation Of Railway Problems, Vocation
al Education and Requests Laws to Punish Seditious
Americans and Troublesome Aliens.

7 vitation and as the guests of this gov.
eminent. whose deliberations are likely
TO be looked pack to as marking a me-
moraple turning point in the history Of
america. They We're representatives
spokesmen of the several independent
states or this hemisphere and were as
sempied to discuss the financial and com
mercial relations of the republics of the
Two continents which nature and politica,
fortune have so intimately linked to-
gether. j earnestly recommend to your
perusal the reports of their proceedings,
ana OF the actions of their committees.
you viii get from them, / think, a fresh
conception of the ease and intelligence
and advantage with which Americans
"t both continents may draw together in
practical cooperation and of what the
material foundations of this hopeful part
nership of Interest must consist-of how
we should build them and of how neces-
sary 1t is that we should hasten their
building.
Destiny OF Americas.
There Is, l venture to point out. an
especial Significance Just now attaching
to this whole matter OF drawing the
Americas together In bonds of honorable
partnership and mutual advantage be.
cause OF the economic readJustments
which the world must Inevitably witness
within the next generation, when peace
snail have at last resumed Its healthful
tasks. In the performance of these tasks
l believe the Americas to be destined to
play their parts together. I am inter-
ested TO Tx your attention on this pros
pect now because unless you take it with
IN your view and permit the full sig
Il11cance OF 1T to your thought
! cannot find the right light in which
10 set forth the particular matter that
lies at the very front of my whole
thought, as address you today. mean
national defense.
Ideals of Democracy.
NO one who really comprehends the
spirit of the great people for whom we
are appointed to speak, can fail to per-
celVe THAT their passion is for peace, their
genius best displayed in the practice OF
tne arts OF peace. Great democracles are
NOT beiltgerent. They do not seek or de.
sire war. Their thought is of individual
liberty and of the free labor that sup
ports life and the uncensored thought
that quickens it. Conquest and dominion
are not in our reckoning, or agreeable to
our principles. But just because we de-
mand unnolested development and the
undisturbed government of our own lives
upon our own principles, of right and
liberty. we resent from whatever quarter
u may come, the aggression we ourselves
VIII not practice. We insist upon security
~ prosecuting our self chosen lines Of ma.
.!onai development. We do more than
Inat. we demand 1t also for others. We
DO not conf1ne our enthusiasm for ind;-
vidua liberty and free national devalon.
ment to the incidents and movements Of
a1Iairs which affect only ourselves. We
reel 1t wherever there is a people that
tries to walk in these difficult paths of
independence and right. From the first
we nave made common cause with all
OAHtIEanE nj 49, Ali -.
and have deemed it as important that
U neighbors should be free from ali
outside domination as that we ourselves
should be; have set America aside as a
whole for the uses of Independent nations
and political freemen.
Can't Depend on Farmers.
out OF such thoughts grow all our poll
otes We regard war merely as a means
OF asserting the rights of a people against
aggression. And we are as Hereby iaaIsl
Gus or coercive or dictatorial power With
M, our own mn na 1i,3 as Of aggression from
Ing army except for uses which are as
necessary In times of peace as in timas
OF war, and we shall always see to 1T thai
nu rro mltltary peace establishment is no
needed for the uses of days in which no
enemies move against us. But we do hao
lleve IN a body of free citizens ready and
sufficient to take care of Themselves and aud
or the governments Which they have set
up to serve them. In our CONSTITUTIONS
themselves we have commanded. that 1.-The
shall s 9 not thf ba pe fnqrip to keep &c and bear arms
denee has been that our safety in times
OF sanger would lie In the rising of the.
na.on 70 axe care of itself, as the farm
Must Understand Wa.
But war has never been n mare n,,++ar
or men and guns. 1t is a thing Of disci-
plined might. " our citizens are ever to
+i Ssn sa,estixsly upon a sudden summons,
done, and what to do when the summons
comes to render themselves immediateIy
A y ana Immediately effective. And
tne government must be their servant in
TINS matter, must supply them with the
framing they need to take care Of them
selves m Of i. The military arm Of
low to direct them. they may properly use
to serve them and make their independ-
ience secure-and not their own independ-
e eI,es merely pnt the rights also Of those
cause. should they also be put In Jeopardy.
They. must be fitted to play the great
role IN the world, and particularly in this
hemisphere, for which they are qualified
by principle n by chastened ambition
to play.
It is with these ideals in mind that the
plans of the department. of war for more
adequate national defense were conceived
which will be laid before you, and which
! urge you to sanction and put into effect
us SOON as tney can De properly SCrllfin.
lied and discussed. They seem to me the
essential first steps. and they seem to me
for the present sufficient.
Proposed Army Increase. 65e
They contemplate an Increase of the
standing force Of the regular army from
Its present strength OF 5,O23 officers and
1922 S5 enlisted men of all services to a
strength of 1886 officers and 1874, 707 enlist
ed men, or 141.S43. all told, ali services.
rank and file, by the addition of So com.
panies of coast artillery, is companies of
engineers. 10 regiments of infantry. four
regiments Of field artillery. inc four aero
squadrons. besides 750 officers required for
great variety of extra service, especially
the all important duty of training the citi-.
zen force of which 1 shall presently speak,
1872 non-cotnmissioned officers for service
IN drill, recruiting and he like, ard the
necessary quota Of enlisted men for the
Quartermaster corps, the hospital corps,
me ordnance department. and other SINH
Lar auxiliary services. These are the ad-
dlttons. necessary to rende the army ade-
qaate TOR tts present duties duties which
IL mas TO perform not only upon our own,
continental coasts and borders and at our
|!nterlor army posts, but also In the Phii.
Eipptnes, IN tho Hawaiian islands, at the
|4athmus n In Porto Rico.
By way of making the country ready
TO assert some part OF its real power
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