Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-24
THE CHANGED CONDITIONS
POLITICAL ISSUES WHICH MUST SOON
FALL FLAT.
Patriotism and Progress Interchange
able Terms, According to
an Army Omcer.

'I expect shortly to be ordered to the
far east for duty said an army officer OF
high rank to a Star reporter as he de-
scended the steps Of the War. State and
Navy building this morning, :" and 1t Is
with feelings of pleasure that I respond
to the call of my country to uphold and
fight for It's flag wherever unfurled.
About to enter active service In the
field, 1 can but contrast the difference In
the status of the army and naval officer
Of today and Of five years ago. and during
the preceding thirty years down to the
close Of our civil war. While always ready
to respond to any emergency, his life was
Of necessity the monotonous one of the
army post or idle cruising and detached
duty in Washington. Today it Is one of the
greatest activity and movement
MomentOusness Of Current Events.
Events have shaped themselves with
such startling and exciting continuity that
we are confronted with conditions one day
which become old and expired issues the
selves have fully grasped the running of
time and the tuxtaposition Of new condi-
tons but incompletely, and certainly the
democratic leaders not at all.
The supposedly strongest issues Of the
democracy have all but passed now. As a
party it appears utterly to fail to grasp
and to see the present situation, which will
In turn fit by. pushed along by the rapidly
multiplying complications of the future,
leaving the party bewildered, he4plessly and
namely grasping at it's d1lapidated skirts by
the roadside as the affairs of the nation
rush by guided by its surehanded pilots in
the center OF the path OF national honor
and with courageous determination to up
hold the American flag and American pres
tige.
These are stirring times, and old issues
and before the war thoughts and customs
are forever buried beyond the hope of res
direction save in sentiment. The nation
must be prepared reinforced and strength
ened to meet its new responsibilities, and
the democratic old. woman of the sea can
not be permitted to strange Its progress,
to stihe Its honor, to smother its newborn
greatness and to halt it's onward move
ment.
Not the Time to Scuttle.
Il do not believe that the people of this
country desire too large a standing army
in the time Of profound and actual peace,
but 1 do believe that they, aside from the
leaders Of the democracy, are agreed that
moss-grown, arter-of-a-century-ago ideas
cannot be allowed to continue at this mo-
mentous 1uncture, and that adequate
army must and shall be formed.
We have fought and won one war since
then, and we may be called upon at any
moment to fght-and to win, So-another.
1t would seem TO me that the very thought
of Scuttlfng, of skulking and crawfishing;
of steps retraced and words and sentiments
eaten, would bring the actual blush Of
shame to the faces of the democratic lead
ers.
1T is un-American, it is unpatriotic, 1t il
so utterly and distinctively antagonistic to
the American character. to the American
nation. to American history and to the
glory OF American arms on land and Amer
lean prowess at sea that it ought, and I
believe 1t will, nauseate the very people be-
fore whom 1t Ia preached.
The Nation GlOriAes It's Heroes.
Heroic young Titus, the musician, the
brave Iowa boy, not yet attained his ma
jority, who clambered to the top of the
wall surrounding the imperial city and UNI
furied the flag from its ancient battlements
with. no doubt. hearty American cheer.
typiffes the nation whose unsullied uniform
he proudly wore as thoroughly as the gal
liant Chaffee, the general officer. whose In
trepid aggressiveness Is the admiration OF
the civilized world today. No dilatory, re-
dictionary. democratic political methods
there No Sinking. with buge' sounding
retreat No backward steps; but forward
forever forward to rescue and to victory.
Congress Would Support the Presi-
dent.
IF the gravity Of the situation should ul-
timately demand the assembling Of Con-
my opinion, be a good weather vane indica-
tive of the sentiment of the people, and
would. believe. result in a complete ante
election Endorsement of the administration
Congress would unquestionably vote any
amount and adopt any measure needed to
meet the extgency and would freely sup
port the President. Beyond electioneering
speeches from wing of the democracy
and reactionary talks from the other, there
would be unanimity OF sentiment similar
to that witnessed in the Spanish war, and
he would, indeed, be poor American who
in the historic halls of Congress would de-
clare for hauling down the flag anywhere
while anarchy and chaos reigned and the
rishtful presence and sovereignty Of the
United States disputed by force Of arms
The Lesson Of sadowa.
'.As an officer, it Is inconceivable to me
where the plaster Of militarism Is to stick
now that the opposition Is SO fast ningtns
it. The garrison Of the city OF Paris,
France, is. 25.OD regular troops In time Of
peace, or the equal in size of our whole
army prior to the Spanish war. France,
with population of half of the United
States has an army OF 5ol.0oe men. APP
proximately, on a peace footing. In
country 5000 miles In width. with a popu-
laton of 70VD,oOo. militarism, assuming
possibility with an army of 100000 men.
And military authorities would affirm that
such an army would be scarcely enough
for a suitable nucleus for regular army
in the event Of war, In which this or any
other nation may become involved at any
time, and often without warming
Let us not forget the fate OF Austria
In seven hours that nation was humbled
In seven hours from the time the first
shot was fired in the battle OF Sadowa the
victorious German troops were marching
on their way to the Austrian capital.
Bluffs VI. Bullets.
THE old theory that we, a great nation
with 100000 men capable of bearing
arms, could create, Aladdin-like an army
drilled. armed. accoutered and fully
equipped II war seemed probable was ex-
ploded for good at the time of the Spanish
war. The thoroughness of Japan's prepara-
lions In the present encounter with China
has excited admiration among army circles
In all countries. The creation of an army
Is of slow growth, while our shores are but
seven days sail by transport from Europe.
The nations conditions change as do the .
thoughts and actions of her people The
reactonary element of the democracy can
not always hold US down. Yet 1t was this
same element that breathed bitter defiance
to the world in Congress and then incon-
sistently voted against ornaments and
army increase.
Bluffs never win in a contest with bull
let's"
N~A g.