Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-04-11


pleased, Vet, Il our nation were hut
properly organized for defense we
possess ample resources within our
selves 70 enable MS to bid defiance
both to invasion and 10 starvation
But these grcat defensive resources
We have not as vet even attempted to
organize.
Tho discussion in Germany, France
aud Russia as to the possibility OF in
vasion should open our eyes and cause
us, before il is too late, to make the
necessary preparations for defense
These might be comprised rs; First,
"a navy Increased to a three power
scale instead OF a two-powcr scale.
secondly, nm army ON the principle OF
universal militia service for homo dc.
feusc. aud thirdly, a food supply de-
partmcnt tO guarutoC us against star
walton, That We could easily raise
enough revenue thus to put our i'm.
pCrial dotnsc ON proper footing
have been informed on very good au-
thority Il is with the last OF these
three equally necessary componcuts OF
a thorough and properly reasoned
scheme Of imperial defense that pro.
pose to doal The question OF our
food supply lies at the very root Of any
property reasoned scheme OF imperial
defense, because Il determines our
staying power in the event OF Europ,
can war.
Even suppostng that continuous
supply Of sufficient food could be
brought into the country, which ia
extremely doubtful, il would undouht,
odly be brought in at such greatly en-.
HANGED prices as would place Il quite
beyond the purchasing power of the
poorer classes, II is mRnitostly use
less to have a navy equal to those OF
any two powers OF oven three, II II ia
possible for those powers, without
sending a single ship to sea. TO raise
provisions To famine prices in this
| country by financial operations only.
Similarly It is plainly usclcss to have
the strongest possible army-aa uni.
vorsal service army to guard us from
invasion in the not impossible event
of naval disaster II Il Is in the power
Of our enemies to starvc us into
submission In about six months or so
without landing n single man
Tho state would have to feed T..
100000 Of the popultiou in the event OF
war with France and Russia and
S,000O 600 in the event of war with
France Russia and Germany But
we are at present completely depend.
! ont upon Russia aud the United States
for food, and there are only four and
half or five months food supplies In
| the country nj any time, We ought,
however, to be able to mako our food
supply last for two years. This could
only be done by arranging in our
scheme of imperial defense to gunran
tee the navy In the event of disaster
so as to enable II to utilize to the full
est extent our unrivaIlcd, resources
for naval reinforcement, and thus
eventually to raise the siege OF the
! British isles and regain command OF
! the sea"
Captain Murray dealt in detail with
the remedies proposed before MIR.
| Ncrburghs committee, declaring that
II was earnestly to be hoped that the
Royal Commission, when II assembled,
would he able to devise means OF
increasing our food supply and pre-.
serving our blood supply, Meanwhile.
however, the danger was Mt our doors,
and II only remained to devise a
scheme whereby, with minimum ex.
pcndturc In peace time, wo should be
able to make the most of our existing
resources In war time. Captain Muir.
ray proceeded to describe n rough ont,
line of food supply department and
It's organization for peace and war
| giving tables also Of Siege rationg "
He arrived ut the conclusion from
these data that any government had
| the power, If IL chose TO take tho
trouble, to guarantee us against star.
walton; and to do this, as far as our
food supply was concerned, nj the I'm.
finitoly small cost during peace of
about Gl5,000 year. II was only
necessary for them to make n few
simple preparations during peace. The
Broad Arrow. London.