Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-01-28
After the War Europe VIII
Cast Longing Eyes On
Country South of Us
UNITED STATES NOT in
DANGER OF INVASION
To Keep America for Amer
leans Preparedness Is a
Necessity

New York, Jan. 2S,-Indirect flank
the western hemisphere is what the
United States has to fear, if anything.
To guard against this she must be pre-
Jared both in military and indus
trial way. She must think in terms
Of the world, and abandon forever pro-
vincialism.
Such in brief is the keynote Of Pres
ident Wilson S preparedness warning
that in the next two weeks ne will
sound throughout the middlewest.
He first prOpounded it to the ma
ton in speech last night to the Rail
way Business Men S association acre.
1t came upon the heels of a day of
speechmaking in which he had notified
the world that while the United States
seeks no aggression, no territorial ag-
grlndizement, he and the nation are
not too proud to fight"
Any fight, he suggested, will be a
fight to maintain American ideals. 1t
will be in the spirit of liberty in which
the forefathers of the nation fought
and died.
May Be Tarket For Europe.
Analysis of mis- speech led to the be-
lief that he has information tending to
show that the United States, or at
least the western hemisphere will be
the target for European aggression af
ter the end of the world war. In this
connection he declared he could not
predict what the international rela-
tons of the world would be from one
day to the next--and that tomorrow
was as certain to be as bright rs to-
day"
He made plea for the cementing of
friendship with the rest of the Ameri-
cas-, and suggested that they would
look at present to Europe, if the Uni
ted States were to take direct interfer.
ence in Mexico.
In this connection, he declared:
" Nobody seriously supposes that
the United States needs to fear an in
vasiOn of its own territory. What Am
erica has to fear, if she mas anything
to fear, are indirect, runabout, flank
movements upon her position in the
western hemisphere. Are we going to
open those gates or are we going to
close them?
NAhJ GeSaA hOducESlllp,
"E'or they are the gates to the
hearts of American friends to the
south of us and to their ports. Win
their spirits and you have won the
only sort of leadership and the sort of
safety America cOvets."
He explained tnat his change of
views as to the need of preparedness
has come with the change of circum.
stances in the world.
No surrender Of ideals was a sort of
motto he set for his preparedness
views.
" America he said, will never be
the aggressor; America will always
seek to the last point at which her hon
or is involved to avoid the things that
would disturb the peace of the world.
But America does not control the cir.
cumstances of the world and we must
be sure that we are faithful servants
of those things which we love and are
ready to defend them against every
contingency that may affect or impair
them.
Is Against Militarism.
While declaring himself not to be A
partisan of any one plan of defense
he announced he favors a plan of train.
ing citizens whereby a vast number
would be available in event Of war,
yet he emphaticllly declared ais op.
position to any system that smacks Of
militarism.
He pleaded that partisanship be
abandoned and that all parties stand
together in getting preparedness. The
need for united action was suggested
in his statement that he mas sought to
maintain peace for the United States
against very great, and sometimes,
very unfair, odds.
The militia plan, he said, does not
fit the needs Of the country; there
must be a coordinate system, furnish.
ing fully 100000 trlined men.
As for the navy, ne suggested it is
so obvious a method Of defense that
there viii be little difficulty in get.
ting an increase as desired
IN a second speech before the Mo.
ton Picture Trade Board, the president
made reference to the number Of
liars who had come TO him with
pleas for interference in Mexico.