The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1915-12-10
ASKS ADEQUATE
DEFENSE FOR U.S..
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 - Oisloyai
Acts OF Foreign-Born Citi-
zenS Scored-No Fear
of War.

&CHS C0-tN SdI
of War.
Washington. Dec. AT a joint session
of the house and senate the president to-
day delivered his annual message. He
said in part as follows:
Since L 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 it's 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 a prospect of reorganiza-
ton and reconstruction such as states
men and peOpl have never been called
upon to attempt before.
We have stood apart, studiously neutral.
1t was our manifest duty to do So In
the day of readjuStnnent 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 habitual detachment from the poll
tics of Europe but also by u clear per
ception of international duty. the states
of America have become conscious of Il
new and more vital community of inter-
est ana moral partnership in affairs, more
clearly conscious of the many common
~ CO.. t'AAA C'NS attt ~ "AiANiA
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 ana undertake. to impose upon
her an order and government OF our own
choosing.
We will aiG and bcfriend Mexico. but
we VIII not coerce her; and our course
with regard To her ought to be sufficient
proof - all America that We seek no po-
IitiCai suzeIaiuty 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
n~latters Political and in matters econOIn-
ic. is likely TO give them a new signiti-
canoe as factors in international affairs
ana in the political history OF the world.
1t presents them as in i very deep and
true seUs" Il unit in world affairs. spir-
ituai partners. standing together because
thinking together. quick with common
sympathieS and common ideals. Separat-
ed. hey axe subject to all the cross cur
rent ~ tn" confused politics of a world
Gt fgS.tle 'iValries: united in spirit and
purposg they cannot be disappointed OF
their peaceful destiny.
AiAAS - q IL IHtllCdIhSLu IL mas none
os the spirit of empire in *. 1t is the en-
ood'HEe! At. the effeCtual embodiment. of
tue 81 rt OF law and Independence and
liberty ana mutual service.
There is. / venture to point out. an espe-
CJsl Significance just now attaching to
this whole matter of drawing the Amer
seas together in bonds of honorable part
uetsnip and mutual advantage because of
tH' economic rcadjustments which the
world must Inevitably witness within the
a sesI -. ION UFtnp N chn nxn
at last resumed its heaithful tasks. In
the performance of these tasks 1 believe
the Americas to be destined to play their
parts together. l am interested to fix
your attention on this prospect now be
cause unless you take it within your
view and permit the full significance of
il to command your thought l cannot
find the right light in which to set forth
the particular matter that lies at the
very front OF my whole thought as 1 adj
dress you today. l mean national de
Tense.
No one who really comprehends the
spirit OF the great people for whom we
are appoisted to speak can fail to per-
ceive that their passion is for peace. their
genius best displayed in the practice OF
the arts OF peace. Great democracies are
not heiiigcrent. They do not seek or de-
sire war. Their thought is of Individual
liberty and OF the free labor that supports
life and the uncensored thought that
uuickenS it. Conquest and dominion are
not IN our reckoning. or agreeable to our
principles. Eat just because we demand
unno!ssteI development and the undis-
inrbed government of orr own lives upon
our owu principles of right and liberty.
we resent. from whatever quarter it may
come. tite aggression We ourselves will not
practice We insist upon security in
prosecuting oar seif-chosen lines of ma
ttonai development. We do more than
that. We demand it also for others. We
do not Contine our enthusiasm for inai-
Hid9ai liberty and free national develop
snent 20 the incidents and movements Of
affairs which affect only ourselves. We
iced IL wherever there is a people that
tries TO walk in these difficult paths OF
Independence and right. From the first
we have made common cause with all
paCtisans OF liberty on this side of the
sea. and have deemed 1T as important
that our asi-hbotS, should be- free frolnE
AL outside domination as that We our
selves shoald be; have Set America aside
as q whole for the uses OF independent
aa:sons and political freemen.
Might to Maintain Right.
Out OF such thoughts grow all our poll
Cies. We regard var merely as n means
at asserting the rights of a people against
aggression. And we are as ferce!y jeai-
ecS OF coerCivc or dictatorial power with
sS our ONE nation as OF aggression from
cithout- We will not maintain a stand
Tag army except for uses which are as
=" as hh ttttCS
OF war: ard we shall always see to 1t
shae our military peace establishment is
TO tohser than IL actually and continuous
- needed for the uses OF days in which
na enemies move against JUS. But wer
DO beneve in q body OF free citizens ready
and sUificient to take care OF themselves
ana OF the governments which they have
set up to serve them. In our constitutions
themselves we have commanded that 1.-The
reit Of the people to keep ard bear
arms shall not be infrinsed," and our
confidence has been that our safety in
.Nes of danger would lie in the rising of
tue nas.on to take care OF itself. as the
farmers rcse at Lexington.
But war has never been q mere matter
OF men and guns. 1t is a thing OF f,sse,-
piined might. II our citizens are ever tn
light effectively upon a sudden summons.
they must know how modern fighting ia
done. and what to do when the summons
comes to render themselves imm~eiia ,elvs
available and Immediately effective. And