Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 290, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 December 1915 — NATIONAL DEFENSE DOMINATES MESSAGE [ARTICLE]

NATIONAL DEFENSE DOMINATES MESSAGE

Congreatt Urged to Put Defense Program Into Effect —Condemns Foreign-Born Partisans. President Wilson’s message to congress is probably the most aggressive one since he became the chief executive. It teems with desire to make America stronger than it has ever been before and while suggesting that our guardianship of other nations in the Americas as set forth in the Monroe doctrine is no longer necessary or proper it argues for a moral partnership of all American countries as a proper influence for mutual welfare. Two things particularly attract attention. The first is the plan for national defense and the second the manner in which the president goes after those foreign-born citizens who are willing to sacrifice the interests of the United States for the aid of their native country. He says that the gravest threats against our national peace have been uttered from within our own borders. He says that he blushes to admit that there are citizens of this country, bom under foreign flags, who have poured the poison of disloyalty into the very arteries of our national life, to destroy our industries whenever they thought it effective for their vindictive purposes to strike at them and to debase our politics to the uses of foreign intrigue. He mentions the measures necessitated in correction of the plotting against factories in this country and says that he never dreamed it possible that men sworn into citizenship in this country would ever turn in malign reaction against the government and people who had welcomed and nurtured them and thus seek to make this proud country once more a hotbed of European passion. He scores those who preach or practice disloyalty by passionate sympathy and says that every selfpossessed and thoughtfully patriotic American must think of them with deep humiliation and scorn. In urging national preparedness he asks that the plan for an increase of the army be adopted and also tells of the plan for a continental army of 400,000 secured at the rate of 133,000 each year for three years. The plan is to call these into service each year for a period of two months’ training with instructors from the regular army and at maneuver camps with regular troops. He says that he has confidence that the young men of the country will enlist and that their employers will make their two months’ absence possible for them. Then the men thus trained would be subject to call for active service within a period of there years. The program for the navy is also conceived with a view to securing substantial and needed increases at a minimum of cost. He urges the need of vessels for shipping and holds that trade between the South American countries and the United States can only be built up in this maimer. He estimates that additional revenues in the sum of (93,000,000 would be necessary to carry out the program of army and navy increases. Figures indulged in by the president show that if the tariff in sugar is withdrawn as had been provided by the present tariff there would be a deficit by June 30, 1917, of approximately (236,000,000, but if the present tax is retained the deficit can be reduced to about $112,000,000. He discusses some measures of money raising but places the duty of providing the means to congress. The message of the president seems to have general approval, especially the predominant features of adequate defense and the demand for complete loyalty to the United States of all who reside therein. The pTan for providing a merchant marine will probably meet strong opposition and it is also probable that the plan for defense will meet enemies, but indications are that there will be an actual majority at the outset in favor of adopting such additions to the army and havy as seem prudent and necessary.

Mrs. J. P. Irwin returned yesterday from s visit with her aged mother, Mrs. Ravenscroft, near Remington. She left her feeling very much improved and to all appearances she will be able to live for a long time yet. She will be 94 years old next April. Victor Babcock, of Carpenter township, who was taken to Chicago Monday of last week and operated on for appendicitis, is expected to come here on the 11:17 tram tomorrow and to stop for a few days with his father, Frank J. Babcock, before going to his home. Mias Ruth Murphy, a high school girl whose home is in Surrey, but who has been staying during the school year with her aunt, Mrs. Harry Newman, has been out of school since Thanksgiving with an attack of. tonsilitis. She is improved now and expects to return to school within a day or two. Mr. and Mrs. Orlen Grant, of Hammond, are here for a visit of two weeks with friends. Orlen is making slow recovery from has paralytic attack and it is believed in time will regain full relief, but it is quite slow. He is able to get about with the use of a cane and is making improvement in has articulation. Ed VanArsdel rad some rapid action with a Republican classified ad this week. He placed a “For Rent" ad in the paper and within a half hour after -he paper was circulated business began and from that time on he was a busy man. Business did not shut down until late in the evening and it began again before he was out of bed the following morning. He finally appealed to The Republican for relief, having had all the advertising he wanted the first day of .the six he was entitled for the quarter he had paid. A classified ad the same day restored a fur laprobe to Simon Thompson. Loren Sage had found it and left it at this office. You are sure to get returns on anything you advertise in The Republican classified columns.