El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-28
Ell PASO HERALD

When I face a body of men like this, II
is almost incredible TO remember that
only yesterday they were AFRAID 10 put
their wits into free competition Win
the world. The best brains in the world
afr aid to match with the rest OF the
world, we have professed to stahu pc
hind protecting devices, and now we
are thrust out to do, on scale never
dreamed of in recent generations II
America the business Of the world
We can no longer be provincial
nation.
Let no man say, if he would speak
the truth, that the question OF perIec-
ton of national defence IS question
Of war or peace.
There is no spirit or ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
IN America, and there IS no desire on
the part of a thoughtful and con-
scientious American man 40 take one
foot of territory from any nation IN
the world. And myself, share TO the
bottom of my heart that profound love
for peace. 1 have sought to maintain
peace against very great, and some
AT any time, TO use every power that is
in me to prevent such a catastrophe
as war coming on this country,
VIII Not Surrender Ideals.
SO that il Is not permissible Tor any
man to say with anxiety that the de-
fence Of the nation has the least tinSe
Ia It. OF desire for power, which can be
used 10 bring on war But, gentlemen,
people love better than they love peace.
They love the principles upon which
their political life is founded They are
ready at any time for the Vlndlcauon
other character and of their honor,
They viii at no time seek contest
but they viii at no time cravenly avoid
il Because, if there is one thing that
the country ought TO fight for. and that
every nation ought TO fight for, II IS
the integrity of its own convictions.
We Even Fight For Others
America has more than once gwen
evidence of the generosity and interest
edness Of its love and liberty II has
been willing to fight for the liberty
o. others as well as for its own liberty
The world sneered when we set out for
the liberation of Cuba, but the world
does not sneer any longer The Worlu
knows that it was then lOath TO belleRe
that a nation can sacrifice its own in
terests and its own blood for the sake
Of the liberty and happiness of another
people.
Our Obligations
and, whether by one process or
another, we have made ourselves IN
some sort, the champions of free gov
eminent and national sovereignty IN
both continents of this hemisphere 30
that there are certain obligations whlch
every American knows, that we nave
undertaken-e The first and primary
obligation Is the maintenance OF the
integrity Of our own soVereignty-
which goes as a matter OF course mere
is also the maintenance OF our uDertl
10 develop our political institutions
without hindrance. and last Of ali, there
is the determination and the obligation
TO stand as the strong brother OF al
those in this hemisphere who VIII
maintain the same principles and FOL
low the same ideals Of liberty
Slow 10 Win Pan-Ameriean Confidence
May 1 venture TO insert here par
enthesis- Have any of you thought or
o have
indeed, 10 win the confidence Of other
states of the American hemisphere II
we should go into Mexico, do you know
what would happen2 All the sympathy
of the rest of the Americas would look
across the waters and not nOrthWard
to the great republic which we profess
to represent
The International Consequence
And do YOU not see the cOnse-
ouences that would ensue in every in
ternational relationship Have the gen
tlemen who have rushed down to Wash
ington 10 insist that we should go into
Mexico. reflected upon the politics Of
the world2 Nobody seriously supposes-
gentlemen, that the United states
needs TO fear an invasion OF its
own territory. What America has
to fear. if she mas anything to fear, are
indirect. roundabout flank movements
upon her position in the western hem
ispheTe. Are we going TO open those
gates, or are we going to close them
For they are the gates TO the hearts
OF American countries to the south of
us and not the gates TO the ports. Win
their spirits and YOU have won the only
sort of leadership and the only sort
Of safety that America cOvets-
Has Chnnged His Mind.
Perhaps when you learn. as 7 dare
say YOU did learn beforehand, that ]
was expecting TO address YOU on the
subject Of preparedness, you recalled
the address which I made TO congress
something more than a year ago, in
which / said that this question of mill
tary preparedness was not a pressing
subject But more than a year has gone
BY. since then, and l would he ashamed
if 1 did not learn something in il