Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 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 - Disloyal
Acts Of Foreign-8orn Citi-
zens Scored-No Fear
of War.

Washington. Dec 7.-At a Joint session
OF tue house and senate the president to
day delivered his annual message. lie
said in part as follows:
Since | 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 II 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. studiously neutral
II was our manifest duty to do so. In
the day OF readjustment 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 hAbltual detachment from the poll
tics OF Europe but also by clear per-
ception Cf international duty, the states
OF America have become conscious OF a
new and more vital community of inter
eat and moral partnership In affairs, more
clearly conscious of the many common
sympathics 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 10 her ought to be sufficient
proof to all America that we seek no po-
hticnl suzerainty or selfish control
Not Hostile Rivals.
The moral is, that the states OF Amer
lea not hostile rivals, but cooper
sting friends, and that their growing
sense OF community OF interest alike In
matters political and In matters econom-
&c. Is likely TO give them a new signif-
canoe as factors in international affairs
and in the political history Of the world.
IL presents them as In very deep and
true sense unit in world affairs. spir-'
ftual partners. standing together because
thinking together. quick with common
sympathies and common ideals. Separat-
cd. they are subject to all the cross cur
rents Of the confused politics OF a world
Of hostile rivalries: united In spirit and
purpose they cannot be disappointed of
their peaceful destiny.
This IL Psn-Americanism. II has none
of the spirit OF empire In It 1t is the en-
bodiment. the efrectual embodiment. OF
the spirit of law and independence and
liberty and mutual service.
There In, / venture to point out en- espe-
ctal significance just now attaching to
this whole matter OF drawing the Amer
tau. a. 81
nership and mutual advantage because OF
the economic Establishments which the
world must inevitably witness within the
next generation, when peace shall have
At last resumed its healthful tasks. In
the performance OF these tasks / believe
the Americas TO be destined to play their
parts together. / am interested to hx
your attention on this prospect now be-
cause unless you take It within your
view and permit the full significance OF
II to command your thought i cannot
ind the right light in which to set forth
the particular matter that lies at the
very front of my whole thought as I adj
dress you today. / mean national de-
Tense.
Might to Maintain Right.
Out OF such thoughts grow all our poll
cies. We regard war merely as a means
Of asserting the rights OF a people against
Gus of coercive or dictatorial power with
In our own nation OF aggression from
without We will not maintain a stand
ing army except for uses which are as
necessary In times OF peace as In times
OF war: and we shall always see TO II
that our military peace establishment Is
no longer than is actually and continuous
ly needed for the uses Of days In which
no enemies move against U.S. But we
do believe in a body OF free citizens ready
and sufficient TO take care OF themselves
and Of the governments which they have
set up TO serve them. In our constitutions
themselves We have commanded that "the
right OF the people to keep and bear
arms shall not be infringed," and our
confidence has been that our safety In
times OF danger would lie In the rising OF
the nation to take care OF ITSELF as the
farmers rose at Lexington.
But war has never been a mere matter
Of men and guns. II In a thing Of disci-
piined might. II our citizens are ever to
night effectively upon q sudden summons
they must know how modern fighting Is
done. and what to do when the summons
comes to render themselves Immediately
available and Immediately effective. And
the government must be their servant In
this matter. must supply them with the
training they need to take care of them
selves and OF IL The military arm Of their
government. which they will not allow to
direct them, they may propyay use TO
serve them and make their Independence
secure-and not their own independence
merely but the rights also OF those with
whom they have made common cause.
should they also BE- put In jeopardy.
They must be nttsd TO play the great
role IN the world. and particularly In this
hemisphere for which they are quail
Asd By principle and By chastsned ambt-
non TO play.
II y With these ideals In mind thai the