The Washington times., 1916-01-28
TO RAILWAY MEN.

We I'VE IN world which we did
not make, which we cannot alter,
which we cannot think into diff
ferent condition from that which
actually exists. IL would be a
hopeless piece OF provincialism to
suppose that because we think diff
ferently from the rest of the world
we are at liberty to assume that
the rest OF the world will permit
US 70 enjoy that thought without
disturbance.
IL is a surprising circumstance
also that men should allow partt-
san feeling or personal ambition
70 creep ipto the discussion OF this
fundamental thing [defensel. How
can Americans differ about the
safety OF America?
We have preferred to be provin-
eial; We have preferred to stand
DeEI Dehind protecting devices. And
scale never dreamed of in recent
generations in America, the busi-
ess OF the world. We can not long,
er be a provincial nation.
Let no man dare to say, IL he
would speak the truth, that the
question of preparation for nation
of peace.
There is no spirit of aggrandize-
ment In America. There Is no desire
on the. part of any thoughtful and
CONSCIENTIOUS American man to take
one foot of territory from any nation
IN the world. And i myself share to
Ihe bottom of my heart that pro-
FOUND love for peace. have sought
10 maintain peace against very
great and sometimes very unfair
ODDS, and l am ready at any time to
use every power that is In me to
Oh -.
coming upon this country.
but, gentlemen, there is something
mat the American people love better
lnan they love peace. They love the
principles upon which their political
life Is founded Because AZ
there is one thing that the country
ought to night for and that every ma
tlon ought to fight for. II is the in
= teBrlty OF It's own convictions. We
cannot surrender our convictions 1
would rather surrender territory than
surrender those ideals, which are
the staff OF life for the soul itself.
The first and primary obligation is
the maintenance OF the integrity OF
our own sovereignty-which goes as
OF course. There is also the MAIN
tenance or our liberty to develop our
political institutions without hind
rance, and last of all there is the de-
termination and the obligation to
stand as the strong brother OF ali
those in this hemisphere who will
maintain the same principles and fol-
low the same ideals of liberty.
We have slowly, very slowly, in
deed, begun to win the confidence Of
the other states of the American
hemisphere. II we should go into
Mexico, do you know what would
happen? All the sympathies OF the
rest OF America would look across
the water. and not northward, to the
great republic which we profess to
Nobody seriously supposes, gentle
men, that the United States needs 20
fear an invasion of its own terri
Tory what America has to fear, IL
she has anything to fear. are indi-
rect. roundabout. flank movements,
upon her regnant position in the
Western Hemisphere.
Perhaps when you learned that
was expecting to address you on
the subject OF preparedness you re-
called the address which made to
Congress something more than a
year ago, in which I said that this
question. of military preparedness
was not a pressing question. But
more than year has gone by since
then, and l would be ashamed IL
had not learned something in four
teen months. The minute ! stop
changing my mind as President with
the change of all the circumstances
IN the world l will be back num-
ber
There is another thing about
which I have changed my mind. A
year ago ! was not in favor of \
tariff board And I will tell you
why: Because then the only purpose
of tariff board was TO keep alive
an Improbable controversy.
But the circumstances of the presN
ent time are these: There is going
on in the world under our eyes an
economic revolution.
/ hear n great many things pre-
dicted about the end Of the war. but
] don't know anything about what
IS going to happen when the war Is
over, and neither do YOU.
America will never be the aggres-
sor. America will always seek to the
last point at which her honor is i'm
volved to avoid the things which dis
turb the peace Of the world. But
America does not control the circum-
stances OF the world. and we must
be sure that we are faithful SER
wants OF those things which we love
and are ready to defend them
against every contingency that may
affect OF impair them.