Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-09
National preparetr' Main
Theme Of Head lion.
Submits Definite Plan to In
crease Present Standing
Force Of Regulars and For
-Four Hundred Thousand
Citizen Soldiers Raised In
IncromentS Of One Hundred
and Thirty-thre0 Thousand.
. OLLOWING is the message of
n President Wilson delivered at a
Joint session of the senate and
house at the beginning of the

house at the beginning Of the
Sixty-fourth congress-:
Gentlemen of the Congress-Since l
last had the privilege OF addressing
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 extend
ed it's threatening and sinister scope
until it has swept within its flame
some portion of every quarter Of the
globe. not excepting our own hemi-
sphere. has altered the whole face of
International affairs, and now presents
a prospect of reorganization and re-
construction such as statesmen and
peoples have never been called upon
to attempt before.
We have stood apart. studiously ncu-
trail. 1t was our manifest duty to do
so. Not only did we have no part or
interest in the policies which seem to
have brought the conflict on; it was
necessary. if a universal catastrophe
was to be avoided, that a limit should
be set to the sweep of destructive war
and that some part of the great fam
lily of nations should keep the process
es of peace alive, If only to prevent
collective economic ruin and the break
down throughout the world of the In
dustries by which its populations are
fed and sustained. 1t was manifcsty
the duty of the self governed nations
of this hemisphere to redress, if posi-
BILE. the balance Of economic loss and
confusion in the other, if they could
do nothing more. In the day Of read.
justment and recuperation we earnest
ly hope and believe that they can be
Of infinite service.
In this neutrality, to which they
were hidden not only by their sep.
arate life and their habitual detach-
ment from the politics of Europe, but
also by a clear perception Of interna-
tional duty, the states of America have
become conscious Of new and moro
vital community Of interest and moral
partnership in affairs. more clearly
conscious Of the many common sympa-
thies and interests and duties which
Dlu tllcUu StdHu together.
There was Il time in the early days
of our own great nation and of the re
publics fighting their way to independ
ence in Central and South America
when the government of the United
States looked upon itself as in some
sort the guardian of the republics to
the south of her as against any en-
crOachmcnts or efforts at political con
trol from the other side of the water,
felt it It's duty to play the part even
without inyiration from them. and ]
think that we can claim that the task
terested enthusiasm for the freedom
of the Americas and the unmolested
self government Of her independent
peoples. But it was always difficult to
maintain such a role without Offense
to the pride of the peoples whose free
and without provoking serious mis-
conceptions Of our motives. and every
thoughtful man Of affairs must wei
come the altered circumstances of the
new day in whose light we now stand
when there is no claim Of guardian
ship or thought of wards, but instead
q full and honorable association as OF
partners between ourselves and oul
neiGhhors in the interest Of all Amer.
lea. north and south. Our concern fol
the independence and prosperity of the
states of Central and South Ameritr
Is not altered. We retain undated the
spirit that has inspired US throughout
the whole life of our government and
which was so frankly put into words
by President Monroe. We still mean
always 10 make Il common cause OF
national independence and Of politicn,
libe"ty IN America. But that purpose
Is now better understood so far as i,
concerns ourselves. 1t is known not t.
be a selfish purpose. 1t is known tc
have in il no thought of taking advan
taSe of any government in this hemi
sphere or playing its political fortunes
for our own benefit. All the govern
,ments of America stand, so far as W.
are concerned. upon footing Of genu
1Ie equality and unquestioned indie
pendencc.
We have been put to the test in the
case OF Mexico. and we have stood the
test Whether we have benefited Mex
leo by the course we have pursued re
mains to be seer Her fortunes are II
her own hands. But we have at leas
proved that we will not take advan
tage Of hcc in her distress and under
take to impose upon her an order ant
government of our own choosing Lib
erty Is often fierce and intra ctabl,
thing, to which no bounds can be Sc
and to which no bounds Of few
mems choosing ought ever to be set
Every American who has drunk al
the true fountains of principle and ira
citlcn must subscribe without reserva
ton to the high doctrine Of the Vir
ginia bill Of rights. which In the grea
days In which our government was SCI
UP was everywhere among us accept
Cd as the creed of free men. That doc
trine Is, "That government is or ough
TO he Instituted for the common bene
ft, protection and security of the peO
pie, nation or community" that 30
all the various modes and forms o.
government, that Is the best which Il
capable VI producing the greatest dc