Los Angeles herald., 1906-03-08
MILITARlSM RAMPANT


Senator Hale of Maine is not a Demo-
crat. He has been a Republican leader
in congress for many. years and for
at least a quarter of a century has rep
resented the advance guard of Repuo-
licanism. In short, in politics he is "a
Hebrew of the Hebrews" There have
been occasions when there was nothing
too mean for Hale of Maine to say in
behalf of his party or in denunciation
of Democracy and he has stood before
the country as the personfication of in
tense Republicanism.
But Hale of Maine has made up his
mind that militarism is becoming too
rampant. He seems to think that the
country has run too far at the heels of
Col. Roosevelt, the soldier, like little
dog with it's tongue hanging out, and
that it is time to call halt.
II find" says Senator Hale, that
the general staff. dealing with an army
Of $4,000 men, is disporting itself as
the general staffs in Europe do, where
as in Germany, for instance, there is
on army of 100000 or 100000 men," He
adds that it is the purpose of the
general staff to invade China, which
would be declaration of war.
All this is very timely, no doubt, for
Senator Hale to say, but the senator
is a little late about 1t. He doesn't
seem to appreciate the fact that in all
III, bA 1f,-Ny
is merely reaping what the Republican
party has so industriously sown. Year
after year since the great civil strife
the Republican leaders have labored
to keep alive the spirit of war. Militar-
ism has been lauded, applauded and
encouraged. More money for the army.
More money for the navy. Reorganiza-
ton of the military system. The aboli-
ton Of the office of lieutenant general
and the creation of the general staff,
Everything European we must have.
Because Germany has a general staff,
we must have one. Because Great
Britain has this or that, we must have
it. And foremost in the fight for those
Senator Hale of Maine.
Then, through Republican leadership,
we were plunged into world politics.
1t was calmly decided that Washing
tons warning against entangling alli-
ances with foreign powers was old
fashioned and that Washington WAS
only d farmer. 1t was also agreed
that the constitution had outlived it's
usefulness and need no longer be re-
ferred to as having the weight of au-
thority. 1t was out of date.
And so we went, tumbling heels over
head into the pomps and ceremonies
of foreign powers, ticlled to death to
find we could dress up as fine as kings
and wear as many shoulder straps as
emperors. Oh, 1t was was great! And
the people fell into the pit that was
dug for them, and, led by Senator Hale
of Maine, they are still voting for "the
party of Lincoln and Grant," because
somehow it smells of powder smoke
and looks like old glory. They have
not paused to consider that behind this
odor of battle is the putrescent smell of
government by trusts; of government
by military rule, of government CEN
tralized at Washington, of government
that makes the rich richer and the
poor poorer"
Senator Hale protests against it to-
day only because he, with his con-
ferees, represent the railroad opposi-
ton to the freight rate regulation bill
and the sneer at the general staff is
meant for President Roosevelt.
But the day is fast coming when old
fashioned citizenship and old-fashioned
democracy will be restored and this
spirit of rampant militarism will cease.
In the meantime, having been plunged
into world politics and soldiery by Sen
ator Hale's party, we must make the
best of 1t and get out the safest way
we can. And that is the Democratic
way.