The San Francisco call., 1898-02-21
SAYS NEITHER NATION
 IS READY FOR WAR
Major Smedberg Predicts That the Maine Affair Will Not Lead
 fo Strife

'I do not believe there will be war with Spain over the Maine incident" !" said Major Smedberg yesterday. "The people of both Spain and America are too sensible to fly at each other at this time. The Spanish Government, I have no doubt, had nothing to do with the destruction of the battle-ship. If it was destroyed by design it was the act of some person or persons who acted on their own individual responsibility. Of course that will not remove the blame entirely from Spain should it be shown that the persons who blew up the ves- sel were Spanish subjects. Spain will then be called upon to pay an fndem- nifty and there the matter will end. though there will be a lot of war talk and many bombastic speeches.
 Spain cannot go to war. It takes money to carry on a campaign, and the Spanish Government is bankrupt l doubt if she will be able to negotiate loan for the purpose of carrying on a war at the present time. She runs too great chance of being whipped, and no money lender will be found who will be willing to take chances of advancing so much capital to a bankrupt nation under such conditions.
 Then, again, America Is not pre- pared for war. A sensation was sprung in Congress short time ago by one of the Congressman, who called attention to the condition of the ammunition supply Of the army and navy. He showed that there was not enough powder in the country to supply the guns of the forts and the batteries to carry them through one average battle. If that is so this country would be in bad way should war be declared The powder manufacturers of the United States cannot make explosives fast enough to keep the army and navy supplied.
 Tn all the war talk that is now go- ing the rounds. it is said that the Grand Army veterans could be called upon to make a great army. I have no doubt that the members of that organization would be hurrying to the front as fast as they could go, but what could they do if the war should be a long and hard-fought one. The veterans of the civil war are now all old men. Those men are all as loyal and as true to their country as ever, and no doubt they would do all that they could but though hearts may be strong at their age the flesh is weak. They could not stand the work that would be required of them. The old men would have to stand back and let the boys do the fighting. There are about a million veterans of the Northern army and about quarter of a million of veterans of the Confederate army in America to- day There is not one man among them who would not take up the mus ket again, and, shoulder to shoulder, battle for the starry flag. But if war should come now it would not be for them. The young men must attend to it. Their fathers have done their share.
 Major R. c. Whitefield, veteran of the civil war; sent a dispatch to Presi- dent Mckinley on Saturday to the effect that in case of war he could raise a brigade on short notice. Whitefeld said he was watching the bulletin boards in front of the newspaper offices with some of his friends, nearly all of whom were veterans of the war Some were Confederate officers and some had fought with the Northern army.
 We have the same old loyal spirit said Whitefield, "and when the bulletin came along that gave every indication of war we agreed that we should, if it came to open hostilities, do our best to organize a brigade and go to the front Among those who were with me at the time and who encouraged the plan were: w. J. Bernard, who was a Confederate soldier; William Darling, John Sheppard, Captain Rodgers, D. M. Cashin and Roland P. Sachs. We drew LID the telegram that was sent on to Washington, but so far we have re- ceived no reply. We feel confident, however, we can raise a good brigade should our services be required