Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-11-10
\ SUMMONS, AND A WARNING
(From the Chicago Herald.)

President Wilson's address before
the Manhattan club, in New York, yes
terday may be briefly described as a
summons, and a warning. 1t is
summons to the broadcast considera-
ton of a duty to which new coca
sions have given a new emphasis. 1t
is a warning to agitatCrs who have
forgotten the patriotic rule, America
first"
The events of the last eighteen
months have required us to think ''of
new things about which We formerly
gave ourselves little concern our
political relations with the rest OF
the world-our duties as an indie
pendent and individual force in the
world to ourselves, our neighbors
and the world
When force everywhere speaks
with an imperious voice." we must
needs ask ourselves what our own,
force is to- maintain ourselves
against any interference -"What
cur duty is with regard to the arm
ed force of the nation?" Looking
facts in the face We must have
It in mind to be prepared, not for
war, but for defense to make sure
of our own security"
V, The Presidents outline Of the bet
tier defense plans he will lay before
Congress may be summarized thus:
p 1. An army adequate to its con-
slant uses In times Of international
peace; such increase in the regular
army as experience proves required
for necessary duties I'm the Philip
pines, in Hawaii, in Porto Rico, upon
the borders, at the coast fortif1oa'
tons" 81: ss.', - >"
- 2. "A great body Of citizens who
have received at least the rudimen-
tary and most necessary forms OF
military training, ready: to form
themselves into a fighting force;;"
also "the munitions and supplies
with which to equip them without
7 The President regards 400, 900
men, in annual contingents of 1885,
900. under intensive" training for
brief annual periods during three
years, and ION furlough" for three
years more, as sufficient to make
up, with the regular army and the
state troops, what may be termed
second line of defense" It would
not be STANDING" army, but body
of ''citizens trained to arms"
8. AS to the navy, he holds we
should "hasten our pace in the pol
lev long pursued" with "a definite
policy Of development looking well
into the future" not merely building
ships but also making sure that we
shall have the adequate equipment
OF men and munitions" for them.
In a word, a naval policy more fore
sighted and comprehensive and less
spasmodic. ~ E}.k.% -! =:
Appealing to the nation: to Judge
whether this plan is not "sane and
reasonable" the President declared
tho he would not be doing bis duty
were he mot to speak in terms OF
thu deepest solemnfty OF the urgency
Of preparing ourselves to guard and
protect our sacred heritage OF. the
fathers who made us an indedepend-
ent nation"
Is American independence menac-
ed? Evidently our President be
lieves that it may be assatled. Even
the suggestion ct, such a thought
must silence the voice CT faction and
array all true Americans against the
few among US who ''have spoken
alien sympathies, who love other
countries better. than America, who
are partisans OF other causes than
that OF America, who have forgot
ten that their only allegiance Is to
the government under which they
live"
We have been very patient with
these Every loud and very cfamor-
GUS" agitators, but our patience must
soon end with men whom the Pres1-
dent rightly describes as 1.-THE spokes-
men Of groups whom it is high time
the nation should call to a reckon
Ing" Are they with America or
against it? If against it, their place