The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1915-12-09
Declares That Il Full Navy
Program Is Carried Out
We VIII Have q Fleet For
Defense That VIII Be
Fitted TO Our Needs and
Worthy Of Our Traditions.
Greatest Danger to Country
Comes From Within Our
Borders.
of how necessary It is that we should

Of how necessary II Is that we should
hasten their building.
There is, I venture to point out. an
especial significance just now attach
ing to this whole matter Of drawing
the Americas together In bonds Of hon
orable partnership and mutual advan-
tage because OF the economic readjust-
ments which the world must inevitably
witness within the next generation.
when peace shall have Mt last resumed
its healthful tasks. In the perform
ance OF these tasks ! believe the Amer
icas to be destined to play their parts
together. ! am interested to tx your
attention on this prospect now because
unless you take 1t within your view
and permit the full Significance Of It to
command your thought | cannot find
the right light In which to set forth
the particular matter that lies ut the
very front Of my whole thought as
address you today. mean national
defense.
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,
their genius best displayed In the prac-
tice OF the arts of peace. Great democ-
racies are not belligerent They do not
seek or desire war. Their thought Is
Of individual liberty and OF the free
labor that supports life and the I'M
censored thought that quickens It
Conquest and dominion are not In our
reckoning or agreeable TO our princi-
pies. But Just because we demand I'M
molested development and the undls-
turbed government OF our own lives
upon our own principles Of right and
liberty. We resent. from whatever
quarter It may come. the aggression we
ourselves will not practice. We insist
upon security I'm prosecuting our self
chosen lines OF national development.
We do more than that. We demand II
also for others. We do not confine our
enthusiasm for individual liberty and
free national development to the Incl
dents and movements Of affairs which
Affect only ourselves. We feel It wher>
ever there Is a people that tries TO walk
In these difficult paths Of independents
and right. From the frst We have
made common cause with all partisans
Of liberty on this side the sea and have
deemed II as important that our neigh
bors should be free from all outside
as that we ourselves should
be; have set America aside as n whole
for the uses OF Independent nations and
political freemen.
Out OF such thoughts grow all eur
policies. We regard war merely as a
means Of asserting the rights OF pso-
Die against aggression. And we ere
Is fiercely Jealous of coercive or dieta.
orial power within our own nation
Is OF aggression from without We
will not maintain a standing army en-
,ept for uses which are as necessary
n times OF peace as In times of war.
md we shall always see to II that our |
military peace establishment Is NO
anger than Is actually and continuous
y needed for the uses Of days In which |
10 enemies move against US. But we |
10 believe In body of free citizens
eady and sufficient to take care Of
and OF the governments
which they have set up to serve them. 4
n our constitutions themselves We /
ave commanded that ''the right Of
he people to keep and bear arms shall
lot be infringed." and our confidence
Ias been that our safety in times OF
anger would lie In the rising Of the
Iation to take care OF itself. as the
armers rose ut Lexington.