El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-05-03
To the Members of the Third State Legislature,
In Special Session Assembled:

In Special Session ASSembted:
I have for you at this time only a brief message. When
the regular session adjourned on the tenth of March last,
after enacting several laws Of far-reaching consequence,
greatly progressive over any that had heretofore been accom-
~plished, probably none of us realized the even then hazardous
situation of the world with reference to the defeat or survival
of the principles of democratic government.
Even then, for t~hirty-two months, the four main central
autocratic European governments had been waging ruthless
warfare in order to put Germany over aL'
Declaring the position of a neutral, the United States,
relying upon the laws of nations, adopted a policy of patient
forbearance awaiting the time when the principle of peace
should again triumph in the world. She has not been accorded
the rights of a neutral. The unlawful character of the subma-
rine warfare waged by Germany has resulted in the wanton
destruction of the lives of our citizens. Germany has, from
the beginning of the wal, covered our country with spies and
has melted a neighboring nation to make war upon us. In
this instance, a nation bordering the State Of New Mex
tlco. A nation whose answer to such incitation would doubtless
|%precipitate death and destruction upon the people and prop
Ierty of our State.
More than all to us and to the survival Of freedom in the
world, it began to appear that this ruthless submarine war
fare by Germany was about to bring starvation upon her
lenemies, thus compelling their surrender; in which event, the
British and French, navies and fleets falling into her hands,
the next move in order would be to compel the people Of the
United States to pay the debt Of the war, now approaching
the inconceivable sum Of a hundred billion dollars.
Since you last met here events Of world moment have.
rapidly transpired. On April second last, the Congress met
ION extra CALL the President delivered to it his striking and
memorable message. In rapid order of time there followed
the declaration that, since the Imperial German Government
had committed repeated acts of war against the government
ana the people OF the United States OF America, a state OF
war existed between them. The enormous sum of seven bill.
lion dollars has been voted towards it's prosecution, laws
adopted providing for the enlistment and equipping of two
million men for the battle line; for enlisting, equipping and
|~quckening the army Of production. The whole people seems
resolutely to be backing up the President and the Congress
with a show of steady but resistless power.
Two prime requisites for the successful prosecution of the
war come to the notice and attention Of the people Of the
State Of New Mexico:
l. The recruiting of our full quota of soldiers.
z. The production of additional foodstuffs.
It appeared to us that the existing state Of the law does
not provide either a route or a means for the accomplishment
of these ends.
Therefore you have the call for this special session. Hap.
PLY perhaps for us as a State, it appears now that the gen
|eral Government is about to nationalist the Army and the
Navy. Even so, it is essential that we conform, by, legislative
act, to the provisions of the Acts of the Congress relative to
the enlistment of soldiers, their training, mobilization, main
tenance and equipment.
Also, in anticipation of further changes in or additions to
the paramount law, and to forestall still another or other
special legislative sessions, you should, by legislative act, at
this session, make it possible for the executive to adopt, byI
proclamation or order, the provisions of any congressional
action had or taken prior to the convention of the next gen
eral legislative session.
In my proclamation calling this special session I briefly
stated some of the reasons why there was at this time an UNI
precedented food shortage in the world. There is no need
here to restate the case. All of us have to live from day toI
day, and few, if any of us, have escaped till now, having our,
attention most s~trkngly called to the unprecedented high L