Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-02-01

but l recollected as l began the SEN
tence, that our own continent was
touched with it, because it involves
our neighbors in the north of Canada.
There is no part of the world except
South America to which the direct in
fiuences of this struggle have not ex-
tended and so we are surrounded by
this tremendous disturbance and you
must realize what that involves. Our
thoughts are concentrated upon our
affairs and our own relations with the
rest of the world but the thoughts of
men who are engaged in this struggle
are concentrated upon the struggle it
self and there is a daily and hourly
danger that they will feel themselves
constrained to do things which are alb
solutely inconsistent with the rights Of
the United States. They are not think
ing Of us. l am not criticiZing them.
even, for not thinking of US. l dare
say that if l were in their places
neither would think of us. They be-
lieve that they are struggling for their
lives.
Danger Every Moment
If the United States puts it's in
terests in the path of this great strug-
gle she ought to know before hand
that there is danger Of very serious
misunderstanding and difficulty. So
that the very uncalculated, unpredemi-
tated, I will say almost incidental
course of affairs-inay touch US to the
quick at any moment. And l want
you to realize that standing in the
midst of these difficulties l feel that
I am charged with a double duty of
the utmost difficulty. In the first
place 1 know that you are depending
upon me to keep this nation out Of
war.
For Honor and Peace
so far I have done so. And I pledge
you my word that God helping me
will if it is possible But you have laid
another duty upon me. You have bid
den me see that nothing stains or i'm
pairs the honor Of the United States
and that is matter not within my
control. That depends upon what 9TH
ers do, not upon what the government
of the United States does. and there
IL
| time when l cannot both preserve the
honor and the peace of the United
| States. Do not exact Of me an impos-
sible and contradictory thing. but stand
| ready to provide the means for main
| tanning the honor Of the United States.
Il sometimes think that it is true
| that no people ever want to war with
| another people. Governments have gone
| to war with one another but peoples
| so far as | remember, have not, and
| this government of the people and this
| people is not going to choose war. But
we are not dealing with peoples We
are dealing with governments. We are
! dealing with governments engaged in
| "a great struggle, and therefore We dc
! not know what a day or an hour will
| bring forth. All that we know is the
| character Of our duty. We do not want
| the question OF peace and war or the
conduct of war entrusted to entirely
it must come to be something tina,
! springs out of sentiments and principle
and the action Of people themselves.
"And it is on that account that l an
counseling the Congress Of the United
States not to take the advice of those
| who recommend that we should have
! and have very soon a great standing
| army, but on the contrary to see to i,
that the citizens of this country are So
trained and that equipment is so suffi
ciently provided for them that when
ever they choose. they Can take up arm.
! and defend themselves.
Presidents Power
THE Constitution of the United State:
| makes the President the commandr-in
| chief of the army and navy of the ma
ton, but l do not want big army sub
ject to my personal command. If dan
ger comes I want to turn to you ane
the rest of my fellow countrymen ant
say. Men, are you ready? And l know
| what the response will be. And / know
that there will spring up out Of tn,
! body Of the nation great host of free
men and l want those men not to b,
mere targets for shot and shell. l wan
them to know something Of the arm
they have in their hands. l want then
to know something about how to guart
against the diseases that creep int,
camp where men are unaccustomed I,
of what the orders mean, what the.
will be given when they enlist unde
arms for the government of the Untet
States. | want them to be men VIII,
can comprehend and easily and intelli
gently step into the duty of nationa
defense.
And that is the reason that 1 an
urging upon the Congress Of the Untet
States at any rate the beginnings Of ;
system by which we can give a yer.
considerable body of our fellow citi
zens the necessary training.
As to National Guard
Il have not forgotten the great Ma
tional Guard of this country; but in thi
country Of l0000O,00O people there are onl
129000 men in the National Guard an
the National Guard, fine as it Is, is nc
subject to the orders of the President Q
the United States. 1t is subject to tn
orders of the governors. of the severa
states; and the Constitution itself say
that the President has no right to with
draw them from their states even. excel
in cases of actual invasion of the Unite
States.
IT want the Congress of the Unite
States to do a great deal for the Ma
tional Guard, but l do not see how tn
Congress of the United States can pu