The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-12-11
President Wilson Pleads for Pre-
parednesS Against Foes
Abroad and Within.
MESSAGE READ TO CONGRESS
Larger Army and Navy Urged
Trained citizenry the Nations
Greatest Defense - DisIoyaI
Acts of Foreian-Born citi-
zens Scored-No Fear
of War.

Washington, Dec lat q joint Session
of the house and senate the president to-
day delivered his annual message. He
said in part as folloUs:
Since 1 last had the privilege OF ad-
dressing you on the state of the Union
the war of nations on the other side OF
the sea, which had then only begun to
disclose its portentous proportions, has
extended its threatening and sinister scope
until it has swept within its flame some
portion of every quarter OF the globe, not
excepting our hemisphere, has altered the
whole face of international affairs, and
now presents prospect Of reorganiza-
ton and reconstruction such as states
men and peoples have never been called
upon to attempt before.
We have stood apart, studiOusiy neutral
1t was our manifest duty TO do So In
the day of readtustment and recupera-
ton we earnestly hope and believe that
we can be of infinite service
In this neutrality, to which they were
hidden not only by their separate life and
their habituaI detachment from the poll
tics OF Europe but also by a clear per-
ception of International duty, the states
of America have become conscious of a
new and more vital community Of inter
est and moral partnership in affairs, more
clearly conscious of the many common
sympathies and interests and duties which
bid them stand together
We have been put to the test In the case
of Mexico, and we have stood the test
Whether we have benefited Mexico by
the course we have pursued remains to
be seen. Her fortunes are in her own
hands. But we have at least proved that
We will not take advantage of her in her
distress and undertake to impose upon
her an order and government of our own
choosing.
We will aid and befriend Mexico. but
We will not coerce her; and our course
with regard to her ought to be sufficient
proof to ali America that we seek no po-
| litical suzeTainty or selfish control
Not Hostile Rivals.
The moral is, that the states of Amer
lea are not hostile rivals, but cooper
| ating friends, and that their growing
sense of community of interest, alike in
matters political and in matters ecOnom-
| ic, is likely to give them a new signif-
canoe as factors in international affairs
and in the political history of the world
| 1t presents them inca very deep and
| true sense a unit in world affairs, spir-
| itual partners, standing together because
! thinking together, quick with common
SympathieS and common Ideals Separat-
| ed, they are subject to all the cross cur
| rents of the confused politics of world
| of hostile Tivalries; united in spirit and
| purpose they cannot be disappointed of
| their peaceful destiny.
This is Pan-AmericaniSTn. 1t has none
| of the spirit of empire in it. 1t is the en-
/ bodiment, the effectual embodiment, of
| the spirit of law and independence and
| liberty and mutual service.
| There is, I venture to point out, an espe-
cial significance just now attaching to
this whole matter of drawing the Amer
| icas together in bonds Of honorable part
| nership and mutual advantage because OF
| the economic readjustments which the
| world must inevitably witness within the
| next generation, when peace shall have
/ at last resumed its healthful tasks II
| the performance of these tasks I believe
| the Americas to be destined to play theil
| parts together. 1 am interested to fix
| your attention on this prospect now be-
| cause unless you take it within youl
| view and permit the full significance Of
it to command your thought I canno
| find the right light in which to set forth
the particular ma tier that lies at the
very front of my whole thought as ad
| dress you today 1 mean national de
| Tense
No one who really comprehends the
| spirit of the great people for whom We
| are appointed to speak can fail to per
ceive that their passion is for peace, thei
genius best displayed in the practice o
| the arts of peace Great democracieS ar
not belligerent- They do not seek or de
sire war. Their thought is of individual
liberty and of the free labor that support
| life and the uncensOred thought tina
Quickens it. Conquest and dominion ar
not in our reckoning. or agreeable to on
principles But just because we demand
unmolested development and the undis
turbed government of our own lives upol
our own principles of right and liberty
come, the aggression we ourselves will no
practice We insist upon security Fl
prosecuting our self-chosen lines of na
tional development We do more thai
that We demand it also for others. W
do not confine our enthusiasm for indi
vidual liberty and free national develop
ment to the incidents and movements o
affairs which affect only ourselves W
feel it wherever there is a people tina
tries to walk in these difficult paths O
independence and right. From the frs
we have made common cause with a
partisans of liberty on this side OF tn
| sea, and have deemed it as importan
that our neighbors should be free froI
all outside domination as that we our
selves should be; have set America asid
as a whole for the uses of independen
nations and political freemen-
Might TO Maintain Right
Out of such thoughts grow all our Dol
cies- We regard war merely as a mean
of asserting the rights of people agains
aggression And we are as fercely jea1
Gus of coercive or dictatoriaI power with
in our own nation of aggression fror
without We viii not maintain a stand
ing army except for uses which are a
necessary in times Of peace as in time
OF war; and we shall always see to
that our military peace establishment
no longer than is actually and continuous
| iy needed for the uses of days in whic
no enemies move against u.s. But "
do believe in q body of free citizens read
| take care OF tnemSelEe
ana or the governments which they haV
set up to serve them In our constitution
themselves we have commanded that 18th
right of the people to keep and bea
arms shall not be infringed'' and on
confidence has been that our safety
times of danger would lie in the rising {
the nation to take care Of itself. as tn
farmers rose at Lexington
But war has never been a mere matte
OF men and guns It is thing of disc
plined might. If our citizens are ever
fight effectively upon a sudden summon.
they must know how modern lighting
done, and what to do when the summon
comes to render themselves immediatel
available and Immediately effective An