The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-02-22
NATION HONORS THE MEMORY
OF HER FIRST PRESIDENT
uosbington's Birthday Celebrated Throughout
the Entire Country-Legal Holiday-Con-
gress However Does Not Adjourn.

hand he was equally removed fror
) pacifsm. He regarded war as one o
, the inevitable features of national ex
istence. Listen to the wise words h
addressed to Congress in his speecl
!, after reelection:
I cannot recommend to your no
tice measures for the fulfillment O
our duties to the rest of the world
without again pressing upon you tn,
necessity of placing ourselves in .
condition of complete defence, and O.
exacting from them the fulfllment o.
their duties towards us. The United
States ought not to indulge a persua
sion, that, contrary to the order Of
human events, they will for ever keer
q at distance those painful appeals tt
arms, with which the history Of every
other nation abounds. There is. d
rank due to the United States among
nations which will be withheld, if not
absolutely lost, by the reputation of
weakness. If we desire to avoid in
suit, we must be able to repel it; if
we desire to secure peace, one of the
most powerful instruments of our
rising prosperity, it must be known
that we are at all times ready for
war
"In this passage you have Wash
ingten's WHOLE philosophy Of peace,
war, and preparedness. Nothing tru~
er or wiser has ever been written,
and Washington's words are as true
ard applicable today as they were
when he uttered them in 1893. Un-
doubtedly there have been many
changes in the century and quarter
that has since elapsed. Communica-
tions by sea and land have greatly
improved, intercourse with foreign
countries has increased, international
relations have been multiplied. But
human nature is substantially un-
changed, and national ambitions and
rivalries, stimulated by greater prizes
are most prospects of the human race,
we have not yet reached that stage
of national and moral development in
which justice, Righteousness, and pub
lie law can dispense with the sane
tions of physical force.
ut is a painful situation for Amer
lea, dedicated as she is to peaceful in
dustry, democratic government, and
the promotion of general welfare.
War is a contradition of these high
aims. Yet there is no gain saying the
truth Of Washington's words: If we
want to secure peace we. must be at
all times ready for war Indeed the
saying is truer now than ever before.
War today is conducted on such COL
ossal scale. and makes use Of such a
vast and multiform organization Of
economic and industrial as well as
military instrumentalities, that ma
tion unprepared to defend itself might
easily be subjudgated before it had
time to organize its resources and
bring it's armies into action. C9pld
Washington, therefore, speak to us to- {
day he would more fervently than
ever implors his countrymen to pro-
vide an adequate national srmy, TO
prescribe universal military training
for our young men, and to organize
thoroughly in time of peace all the
economic, industrial, and military for
ces which in time of peace would be
necessary for the defence of the ma
tion. ....
II want to consider, In the last ,
place, Washington's conception Of the !
relation of the United States to other :,
nations in any form Of league or al
lance or concert, or (if you prefer the
more modern language) in any kind
# international organization.
washington described the policy |e
# his administration in letter which h
,e wrote to Gouveneur Morris in De- |,
.ember, 1895. MY policy he says, 7
has been, and will continue to be, ,
While l have the honor to remain in e
he administration Of the government, ]
o be upon friendly terms with, but
Of, all the nations OF the
,arth; to share in the broils OF none; |a
o fulfill our own engagements; to I
supply the wants and be carried for a
hem all; being thoroughly convinced o
hat il is our policy and interest to I
10 so.' The same rule Of conduct in q
egard to foreign nations he COM r
nends as a permanent policy in the G
Farewell Address, Let u.s. extend Q
ur commercial relations with them, n
,ut have as little political connection p
IS possible. Here is the classic pas Il
age: Y
/" Europe has a set Of primary In o
erests, which to VI have none, or . g
cry remote relation. Hence she must r
"a engaged In frequent controversies, Il
he causes Of which are essentially ID