The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-12-08
PRESIDENT SAYS
NATIONS RECOGNIZE
OUR UNSELFlSHNESS
Preparedness Stressed But President Declares American
Peoples Passion Is For Hyphenates and Dsloyal
Americans Literally Burned Up Necessity of Govern
ment- Aided Merchant Marine Demonstrated

growing sense Of community of in.
terest alike III matters political and
u matters economic. is likely TO give
them new significance as factors in
nternationa affairs and in the po-
litical history OF the world. 1t pre-
cents them as in very deep and true
sense unit in world affairs, spiritua
partners standing together because
thinking together, quick with common
/ syppathies and common ideals. Sepa
rated they are subject To all the cross
currents OF the confused politics of g
world of hostile r!valries. united In
spirit and purpose they cannot be dis
appointed Of their peaceful destiny.
I This ss Pan Am ericanism. II has
none of the spirit OF empire In IT, IT
is the embodiment, che effectual EN-
bodiment. of the spirit OF law and
Independence and liberty and mutual
service
| Psn-Amcricanisn.
l. A very notable body OF men recently
met In the city Of Washington. at the
/ invitation and as the guests of this
j Government. whose deliberations are
/ likely to be locked back TO as mark
! Ing "a memorable turning point in the
history Of America, They were repre-
sentative Spokesman of the several in
and were assembled TO discuss the
financial and commercial relations OF
: the republics of the two continents
which nature and political fortune
have go intimately linked together. ]
earnestly recommend to your perusa
the reports OF their proceedings and
of the actions of their committees
You will get from them. ! think. "a
fresh conception of the ease and in
! teiiigence and advantage with which
/ Americans Of both continents may
draw together In practical cooperation
and of what the material foundations
of this hopeful partnership of interest
must consist--pf how we should build
/ them and of how necessary 1t is that
we should hasten their building.
There ia. ] venture to point out, Ar
especial significance just now attach
/ ing to this whole matter of drawing
the Americas together In bonds oil
! honorable partnership and mutual ad-
! vantage because of the economic re-
/ adjustments which the world must
| inevitably witness within the next
generation, when peace shall have al
last resumed It's healthrui tasks. In
! the performance OF these tasks / be
lieve the Americas to be destined &C
play their parts together. I am in
terested to fix your attention on this
prospect now because unless you take
a II within your view and permit tht
. full significance of 1t to command youI
thought I cannot find the right light
, In which to set forth the particular
matter that lice at the very front OF
, my whole thought as address yot
today. ] mean national defense.
t Desires Peace.
: No ono who really comprehends tn,
I spirit of the great people for whom
IL Faff >
a perceive that their passion Is TO
a peace, their genius best displayed II
a the practice OF the arts of peace
r Great democractes are not belligerent
g They do not seek or desire war. Thei
: thought Is OF individual liberty ant
IS of the free labor that supports if.
= and the uncensored thought tina
8 quickens 1t. Conquest and dominic.
o are not in our reckoning, or agree
: able to our principles. But just be
q cause we demand unmoiested develop
4 ment and the undisturbed government
I OF our own lives upon our own prin
v ciples of right and liberty, we resent
J from whatever quarter 1t may come
t the aggression we ourselves will no
= practice. We insist upon security II
q prosecuting our self chosen lines o
I national development. We do NOR,
r than that We demand Ii also 70
others. We do not conflne our enthu
J siasm for individual liberty and fire.
. national development To the incident
= and movements of affairs which affec
( only ourselves. We feel It whereve
0 there Is a people that tries to walk II
{ these difficult paths OF independents
. and right From the first we hav
made common cause with oil parti
. sans OF liberty on this side the sea
Y and have deemed II as important tina
s. our neighbors should be free from al
a outside domination as that we our
& selves should be; have set Amertci
G aside IA whole for the uses Of In
e dependent nations and political free
r men.
. Out OF s'ach thoughts grow all ou
G policies. We regard war merely as
means Of asserting the rights of peo
pie against aggression. And we ar,
ar hercely teaions OF coercive or die
tator'al power within cur own natio,
as OF aggression from, without. W,
4 VIII not maintain a standing army ex
cefpt tor uses which are as necessa r,
III times of peace as IN times or war
and we shall always see 80 II that oul
military peace establishment is ns
larger than Is actually and confirm
: ously needed for the uses nf daye II
J which no enemies move against uH
/, But we do believe in a body of FREE
! citizens ready and sufficient Ia talk
care pl tFPmeeiNeS ana or the gov
ernments which they have set mp Is
serve them In our constitution.
themselves We have commanded tina
the right of the people to keep ant
bear arms shall not be tnfringed
and our confidence has been that on,
safety in times Of danger would lie
in the rising of the nation to take
care Of itself, as the farmers rose al
Lexington,
For Preparedness.
But war has never been u mere
matter of men and guns. II is q thina
! OF disciplined might, n orr citizens
are ever to fght effectively upon a
sudden SUNNI OTIS. they must know how
modern hghting IL done, and what
J 20 DO when the summons comes to
render themselves immediately avail
ehle and Immediately effective And
the Government must be their serysn,
/ In this matter, must supply them with
, the training they need to take care Of
J themselves and of II, The military
arm of their Government, which they
VIII not allow 70 direct them they
may properly use TO serve them and
| make tt.eir independence secure---a nd
= not their own Independence merely
but the rights also Of those with whom,
} they have made common cause, should
. hn ia,