Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-16
BY w. pourke Cochran.

Standing armies always have been
and always must be fatal to free in
situations. To realize the utter incom-
patibility OF militarism and Repubii-
canism we have but to look at France.
When we recall the first French Re-
public scattering the combined forces
or Europe through the valor of it's vol
unteer armies, how pitiful is the spec
tacle of the third republic covering In
abJect fear of it's own standing army,
incapable of welding any influence
abroad, impotent even to do justice at
home.
The experience of this country proves
that n citizen soldiery is invincible
against foreign aggression or domestic
instruction. while all history shows
that mercenary soldiery has never
been so formidable to any country as
the one which supports 1t.
A standing army in the long run has
always become helpless against foreign
foes. but 1t has always remained OF
deadly efficiency against domestic lib
critics.
The soldier in war may be n hero,
the soldier in peace is either useless or
dangerous. The camp may be Il school
OF virtue and patriotism. the barracks
are always asylums of laziness and Of
ten hotbeds of vice. The moral law Is
binding on nations as we'll as on lndi-
viduals. \ violation of II by either IS
always followed by retribution, slow,
perhaps, but ineXorably stern.
He who draws the sword will perish
by the sword, and the republic that
establishes a standing army 10 smile
freedom in other lands will live to find
her own liberties trampled in the dust
under the feet of a mercenary soldiery.
Aside from it's inherent hostility TO
free institutions, q standing army is n
crushing burden on the neck OF the lab
orer. because it operates to reduce his
earning capacity While at the same
time he is forced TO bear the whole ex-
pense of its maintenance.
Every dollar of surplus product or
capital invested in implements. in ma
chinery, in buildings. Is a fruitful dol
lar. Commodities used In production
multiply themselves even while they
perish.
Every dollar expended for munitions
of war is a sterile dollar.
1t is not used for the purpose of pro-
duction. but for the purpose OF destruc-
ton. 1t is wasted as completely as II
1t were thrown into the sea.
A standing army imposes upon each
laborer the burden of supporting two
men-himself and n soldier-while at
the same time it diminishes his earn
ing capacity by dissipating the capital
on which his productive etilciency de-
Ponds.
But far worse than the spoliation of
the laborer is the degradation which
he suffers from q standing army.
Militarism has always despised in
dustry.
The world power which the imperial
list invites us TO become would be a
power based on conquest and violence.
n survival of barbarism, a world power
consistent with the darkness and igno-
rance OF the tenth century. The world
power which we are Is a light of civili-
cation and progress. gliding with splen-
dor the dawn of the twentieth century.
What patriot would prefer for his coun-
try an eminence OF force. of violence
of barbarism. to an cminence of peace
of progress and of civilization?
I oppose this novel. un-American
policy of Imperialism. because the
grounds on which its advocates supper,
it. are puerile, inconsistent and dis.
honest; because 1t involves the exis,