East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1915-12-07


care for ts own security and TO- max
sure of entire freedom 90 play the m
partial role lu this hemisphere au
( in the world which we al believe &
have been proWdeuliaUy gned
It, have had in mg mind n
thought of any immediate or par.t
uiar danger arising out of our re.a
tons with other nations We arc aI
peace with all the nations OF tho
world and there Is reason to hoI.
that no question IN controversy ae-
tween this and other governments
viii lead to any serious breach 81
amicable relations, grave as some diff
ferences Of attitude and policy have
been and may yet turn out TO be. !
am sorry to say that the gravest
threats against our national peace
and safety have been uttered within
our own borders. There are citizens
OF the United States, I blush to ad-
nit, born under other flags but well
coined under our generous naturaliza-
ton laws to the full freedom and op-
portunity Of America, who have
poured the poison Of dislOyalty into
the very arteries Of our national life
who hae sought to bring the author
ity and good name Of our government
into contempt. to destroy our indus
tries wherever they thought II effec-
tive for their yindictive purposes to
strike at them, and to debase our
politics 70 the uses OF foreign IN
trigue. Their number is not great as
compared with the whole number Of
those sturdy hosts by which our ma
ti0n has been enriched in recent gem
eratiOns out OF yirile foreign stocks,
but it is great enough to have
brought deep disgrace upon US and
to have made ii necessary that we
should promptly make use Of process
Is OF law by which we may be purg-
ed OF their corrupt distempers, Am
erica never witnessed anything like
this before II never dreamed IL
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 or old staked its
very life to free itself from every en-
tanglement that had darkened tho
fortunes of the older nations and set
fortunes Of the older nations and Sc
~ gFavlarI
OF such origins and such free choices
of allegiance would ever turn in ma
lign reaction against the government
and people who had welcomed and
nurtured them and seek to make this
proud country once more a hotbed Of
European passion. A little while ago
such a thing would have seemed in
credible. Because it was incredible
we made no preparation for it. We
would hae been almost ashamed to
prepare for it as if we were suspicious
Of ourselves, our own comrades and
neighbors! But the ugly and incred-
ible thing has actually come about
and we are without adequate federal
laws to deal with it. l urge you to
enact such laws at the earliest posi-
bic moment and feel that in doing so
| am urging you to do nothing less
than to save the honor and self-re-
spect OF the nation.
Real Strength From People.
While We speak OF the preparation
Of the nation to make sure of her
security and her power we must not
tall into the patent error of suppos-
ing that her real strength comes from
armaments and mere safeguards OF
written law. 1t comes, of course,
from her people, their energy, their
success in their undertakings, their
free opportunity TO use the natural
resources of our great home land and
OF the lands outside our continental
borders which look to US for protec-
tion. for encouragement, and for as
sistance in their Development from
the organization and freedom and vi
tality of our economic life. The do
nestle questions which engaged the
attention of the last congress areI
more vital to the nation in this its
time of test than at any other time
We cannot adequately make ready for
any trial OF our strength unless we
wisely and promptly direct the force
of our laws into these all-important
fields of domestic action. A matter
which it seems to me should have
very much at heart IS the creation OF |
the right instrumentalities by which |
to mobilize our economic resources in |
any time Of naional necessity. / take |
it for granted that I do not need |
Your authority to call into systematic |
with the directing off
GERS of the army and navy men of
recognized leadership and ability
from among our citizens who are
familiar, for example
With the transportation facilities Of
he country and therefore competent
to advise how they may be coordi-
mated when the need arises, those
who can suggest the best way in
which to bring about prompt cooper
alton among the manufacturers Of
he country, should it be necessary.
.llLlAl LITGTr