Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-06-21

secure In the illusion that we are a
peaceful people. History demonstra ties,
he points out. that we have had one
year OF war for every four and a. half
years OF peace since the opening Of
our national hiHtory. The total cost Of
our military establishment since 1890.
exclusive OF pensions, has been S.
261,slT. 0Si, and the total cost OF pen-
sions during the same period has been
$500, 220.s62 A large proportion Of the
enormous total OF our war expenditure.
| Mr. Huidekopcr sets down as attrlbut-
| able TO mere extravaganza ana nllsmun-
agemcnt, an Of which could be- saved
IN the writer's opinion by keeping the
army IN q reasonable state OF prepared
ness
He shows FOR instance that IN the
campaign Of 1914 i6,4s9 of the militia
We're employed ON the Canadian from.
tiei while more than 100000 from Penn
| sylyanIa, Maryland and Virginia were
called out 10 rcpel the incursion Of 1900
Englishmen along The shores Of the
Chesapeake. But Notwithstanding these
enormous drafts, such were tho faults
Of organization that only 5000 could be
put on the field OF battle AT Lundv
Lane. The author is OF the opinion that
It would be cheaper to maintain
well prepared army than TO organize
one In hurry, at the unwelcome sound
OF the war drum, He argues on the
insurance principle:
An army II IN reality nothing more
than national police and unless II is
strong enough 10 maintain order a
home and 10 prevent cncroaChmcnt and
insult from abroad. endless evils and
shame must be suffered by the entire
people strong army protects ma
lion against such calamitics, and may
therefore. be likened to a strong insur-
ance company conducted by the govern
meut. According to the last statement
prepared BY the Bureau OF Statistics
the true valuation OF real and persona
property In the United states amounted
in 1900 to no less than s9i ,0O0, 900 900. The
maintenance Of the regular army of
oS,35S officers and men I'm 1906 cost $685. |
1873, l405l. so that this change, consid-
cred from the standpoint of insurance |
alone. Is only 0,62 mills on the dollar. or |
siXty-two one-thOusandthso of per cent |
on the valuation OF property. An army |
three times the size OF our present |
army would 1t Is estimated, cost less
than twice the above rate, or about |
VIA per aunum on every 81 900 Of
property. The minimum rate of nsur-
ance upon dwelling houses In cities is
about Sl.bO and ON Offices seldom less
nan 81 year on each $1,000 OF property
insured, III the reader IL p business
man, let him compare the rates which
he pays the insurance companies with
those charged by the United States
government, and ask himself whether
nc considers $1.24 an exorbitant yearly
rate for the security which would be
afforded to the nation by an army OF
900 trained regulars"
Mi. Huidekoper believes that either
England or Germany could. in very
short time Invade the United States.
While Japan could, in month. land
10000 veterans in the Philippines We
hink he has overdrawn the possibility
IF an invasion Of this country nv the
infantry forces Of foreign country.
such an invasion Is rather theoretical
han possible, though Japan would un-
'oubtedly have us a a serious disad-
'antago In the philippines. With ade-
luate naval protection, we ought to be
rs secure from invasion as England
$ for the thousands Of miles Of ocean
separating our mainland from both
Europe and Asia Is good line OF de-
'ense
But, for all that tho article is in
eresting reading. The Japanese may
'aYc studied it. It emphasizes a truth
hat cannot be denied that as long as it
necessary to maintain an army and a
iavy both should be first class In cfi-
iency. no matter what tho size is. And
he necessity OF this is still more en-
'hasizod by The recent offensive anti
agitation in Japan.