The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-04-30

With regard to the matter Of pos
sible war with japan, there seems to
be sort Of a worldwide consensus OF
opinion that such q war is bound TO
come. II it is bound to come, so far
as we know it might as well come now
as at any time. 1t is quite true that
the United States is unprepared for
war. But it is quite as true that ii
always will be unprepared. The United
States always has been unprepared for
every war that it has engaged in. The
| Colonies had no troops at the beginning
of the Revolution. In the war Of 1Sl2
we cut a shameful figure, not only be
cause Of our unpreparedness for war,
but because Of our refusal to prosecute
that war with any vigor, or on intelli
gent lines. Our forces were always in
adequate, our plans were feeble and
even more feebly followed At the be-
| ginning OF the War of the Rebellion our
army amounted practically to nothing
compared to the tremendous forces that
were required. 1t was the same thing
in 1898 when we engaged in the war
with Spain. The policy of the United
States has always been to refuse to
maintain standing army and to re-
fuse 10 keep even the small army that
1t has enrolled upon a war basis. The
attempted concentration OF 10000 men
upon the Mexican border two years
ago was sufficient proof of this Every
thing was in a muddle in that effort
while the troops had no coherence, be.
cause they had never been together,
had never trained, had never maneu-
vered or drilled in any large num-
bers. Often regiments are kept so
broken that for long years at a time
tho whole regiment is never together
for any purpose,
The consequences Of all of this is
waste men S lives cruelty and reckless
lly. No doubt half Of the lives lost in
the War of the Rebellion were lost
simply because of the inexperience OF
the men and want of knowledge on the
part of the volunteer officers. We
wasted the lives of a hundred and fifty
thousand men IN our efforts to get an
army while the war was going on. In
case of war with Japan we would doubt
less waste as many more to no purpose
whatever. in the process of getting al
army, and we would waste money
accordingly. But that is merely the
J cost that We have to pay for our refusa
, 30 maintain an army or 10 keep our
selves in a condition of war prepared
ness. We cannot pursue both policies
If we refuse to have An army we hav,
, to pay for that refusal in the waste o
, lives of our people by the scores o.
thousands, when it becomes necessar,
for us TO have fighting force, w
, prefer this, however, evidently, TO tn,
cost Of having an army that woult
prevent this waste of life. After be
ing mauled by Japan for n year or tw,
and wasting Il hundred and fifty thou
sand to two hundred thousand lives
? we would probably be able TO get TO
, gether q sufficient army TO repel tn
Japanese invasion That is. always pro
l vided the Japanese were able to Ian,
troops upon our Western shores. /
S would be our hope, Of course, that thi
8 could be prevented by the assemblin
Of our feet in Pacific waters. Tf th
feet could protect us, all we'll an
9 good; the war scare would be owe
s without any loss; but If the fleet wer
, not able 10 protect us and Japan coul
: land troops in sufficient numbers, ther
!, is no doubt but she could overrun tn
: west coast and cause this country tre
n mendo1s losses in lives and treasure.
But with the bullying attitude tina
Japan has assumed towards us wit
u the ablectness with which we recciv
e that bullying. and with the universe
o idea OF the world that we are boun
: sometime or other TO fight Japan, ii
% likely that we shall have TO do IL. an