New-York tribune., 1905-11-18

OF that war, the conditions under which
it begun and waged. and its effects upon
both belligerents. Superfcially. it is often said
that this country had been suffering provoca-
ton to war for number Of years. It had.
But British impressment of our seanaen and in
terference with our carrying trade were only
the immediate causes of the war. For the real
origins of 1t must go back a century and
a half further. so as to understand the policy
of Great Britain and what seemed to her the
necessity for that policy. So much for the his
torical view at this time. Our forcfathers in
1872 did not trouble themselves with any such
incursions into ancient history. They had be-
fore them. in the dongs OF dozen years. suffi-
Client cause for their strenuous but beIated ao-
ton. 1t was unquestionabIy belated. If it was
fought several years before The proper time
would have been Immediately after jena when
England was standing alone with her back to
the wall fighting for life, with all Europe leap
ing at her throat. Her provocation to was
great then it was in 1872, or practically
so, while her power Of defence against US was
vastly less. Had struck then, indeed the
history of Europe itself might have been
changed; in which consideration we may per-
haps find cause for gratefulness that we did not
join the embattled world against the Mother
Country, but waited until she was rising trium-
phant above her foes. BY the delay Of few
years we lost the opportunity of winning
overwhelming victory; but by thus facilitating
Englands victory over Bonaparte we contrib
uted to the welfare of the world.
From the purely military point of view. how
ever. the delay. or the necessity for it. was
great blunder. The simple fact was,
not prepared for war at the time when war
oI4t fO boyr hot
the grievances which were the immediate
to the war were imposed upon US
because of that very unreadness and other
nations knowledge of it. The supreme lesson
OF the war of 1872, from that point Of view
was that expressed by washington more than
a score of years before: ITO be prepared for
war is one of the most effectuaI means Of pre-
serving peace" 1t is a caustic reflection upon
the craftsmanship OF those days that our first
war after Washington's death should thus have
come about largely through neglect of his
counsel, and for the same reason should have
proved partly disastrous and in no respect
wholly satisfactory.
In the great disgrace of Bladensburg was
strated most completely the pernicious fall
lacy of the anti -Washingtonia policy We shall
not call it the Jeffersonian policy though, in
deed It was Jefferson who chiefly gave it to US.
him. however and he accepted the wise rule of
Washington Thus had he done in those excited
months just before Livingston and Monroe Sc
cured Louisiana by violating his Instructions
and it would have been we'll for US If his
changed policy had been maintained and carried |
forward after the apparent immediate need of it |
had vanished. But it was not So The army was |
lwarfed and neglected, and If the navy was not |
confined to little gunboats, carted inland when |
lot needed for action it was because the nation |
would not accept to the full the ron-nilitary |
policy proposed. Had Jefersons fatuous policy |
been entirely fulfilled. the War Of 1912 would |
lave been as disastrous and as disgracefuI to US |
IN sea as it was on land at Bladensburg Hap /
'ily. in those days OF wooden sailing ships, 1t I
vas possible to build and equip a navy quickly, /
more quickly than an army could be created out !
# raw recruits; and that was why we still have |
ause to look back upon the war with some de-
,ree OF pride. 1t will be truthful and at this
distance, not ungracious, to add that the lesson
0 England was not unlike that TO ourselves.
Since Trafalgar she had not permitted her fleet
o fall into decay, but she had neglected gunnery
Practice. and that one Of the reasons why
Ter vessels and their batteries We're so much less
Elective than our own whenever they met on
early equal terms. Eternal readiness is the
rice of success in war, 1t is often the price
Z immunity from war.
The lesson Of preparation is earnestly driven
ome by author, superior to any ex-
litation over the manner in which, in g. few
rilliant instances, partially stoned for
ears OF neglect in the triumphant spIendor of
few crowded hours. He says:
Without in the least overlooking the permanent
aiue Of such examples and such traditions to the
alton and TO the military service which they Illus
ect may be even haTnafu 70 the peoDie at iarEs rE