The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-09
THE MENACE OF uNREADrNEss.

THE MEAACE OF INhEADtNESSs
In a brief address at the meeting of the
Loyal Legion, Friday evening. DR.. j. l.
Thompson declared that this Nation is at
"the parting of the ways" meaning that
inasmuch as the government. moved by
public opinion. had begun to take part in
the larger political affairs of the world. we
should put the country in a position to en-
force our demands. The first thing we
should do at the parting of the ways. he
said, is to increase the regular army, which
means an army which can be relied upon
should war suddenly arise as it did with
Spain. Hitherto we have relied upon volun-
teers, and the four wars we have had were
costly in human life and feeble in results
at the first because we had no army.
Washington complained of the militia, the
raw levies, upon which he could not depend,
not because they were not as brave as other
men, but because they lacked discipline,
steadiness and all the essentials of trained
soldiers. In the war of 1912 we failed miser-
ably in the start because we had no regular
army of any consequence at the beginning
and relied upon volunteers called out for
short terms In the war for the Union both
sides depended upon raw volunteers, but
the South was better prepared than the
North, and consequently was successful at
the outset The great battles of the war
were fought by volunteers, but they were
volunteers who had been made veterans by
two or three years in the field. In the war
with Spain we have exposed to the world
our unpreparedness for war. Having entered
the list of nations which propose to shape
the affairs of the world and to press for adj
States must first provide for larger army
of professional soldiers.
There can he no doubt that to this opin-
ion many thoughtful and conservative men
are coming. The United States, because a
large majority of the people desired it, or
seemed to desire it, went into war with
Spain to right wrongs in Cuba. AS the re-
suit of that war, and in obedience to the
demand of the country, this government has
become the possessor Of Porto Rico and is
responsible for the good order of Cuba. The
question of the Philippines is not yet set
tied. That the United States should hold
Luzon may be said to be the popular de-
mand. These new obligations not only rem
der the raising of larger regular army
necessary, but the assumption of such re-
sponsibility greatly enhances the chances of
disputes with other nations seeking COM
mercial supremacy. Under such conditions
the inadequacy Of our regular army and our
unpreparedness for sudden war is practical
ly an invitation for hostile interference.
Therefore our present condition of lack of
preparation and readiness for war is con-
slant menace to our peace and power The
United States cannot afford to go on with
out much larger regular army and in
creased stores of material for war. The in
telligence of the country must seek to bring
about a decided change of sentiment upon
this subject 1t must combat the idea that
a standing army is a menace to the liberties
of the people, because an army never has
been and cannot be, such an agency.
Patriotic and intelligent people must also
seek to dissipate the impression that a
standing army is an unnecessary expense.
1t can just as well be urged that a fire
department is an unnecessary expense be-
cause there has not been widespread con-
fagration in a year, or that a police force
is not needed because few arrests are made
Once year an effective fire-fighting force
checks a conflagration which, in an hour,
would destroy more property and cause
more loss of labor than the department
would cost in ten years. A police force that
demonstrates it's discipline and effectiveness
is of itself a menace to lawlessness, and it
is most effective when it's existence is a
terror to evil doors. An inefficient police
force is in itself a menace to life and
property.
With the broadening of the policy of the
Nation there should be a broadening of
ideas and methods. A patriotic and intelli-
gent people should have no patience for
that narrow demagogy which has made war
upon the necessity of preparation for sud-
den war. Because it has ruled Congress,
the war with Spain found us in a condition
of unreadiness which has Inundated the
American people in the eyes of Europe. So
long as that narrow prejudice influences
Congress, our unreadiness deprives us of in
fuence with the nations and incites them
to resist demands for our rights