The Sentinel=record., 1914-08-23
NATIONAL DEFENSE
 LEAGUEIS GROWING
WORK FOR PEACE BUT BE PRE-. PARED FOR WAR" IS MOTTO
 OF THE ORGANIZATION.
Desire of the National Organization to Have An Organizer Here Who Is h. terested In Patriotic Movement.

the National Defense League to head movement to organize a branch of the League here.
 The League, which was founded ih Washington, D. C.. by prominent con eressmen and others in 1913. has just launched nation wide campaign for branch organizations in every sec ton of the country.
 To work for larger navy, an ade- quate army, the improvement of the National Guard, and for all things that will better prepare the United States for war, the League was organized in the House of Representatives Office Building. in Washington. February 2. 1918.
 Since then the League has accom- plished much for the purposes for which it was started
 Work for Peace, but be Prepared for War; the motto of the League, which is a paraphrase of famous maxim of George Washington, exact ly expresses the work of the organi- zation
 While the National Defense League strives to strengthen all forces whi .h would make the country better pre- pared for war. it states in it's consti- tuition: This League abhors war and believes in universal peace, but iy firmly believes that preparation for war is the best guarantee of peace"
 In view of the suddeness of the gi- gantic European war now raging 1t behooves every patriotic citizen of the United States to critically examine the position his country now occupies it relation to any sudden attack which might be made in the future on it-an attack which might come with the sud donness of a thunderbolt and with the same unexpectedness of the present European conflagratio".
 The United States is not prepared, if it were attacked tomorrow, to defend it's territory or it's citizens. An attack by any first class power like Japan or Germany. if made suddenly, would find the United States totally unprepared for the blow. Disaster to the country would swiftly follow such war-loss of territory, seacoast ci- ties bombarded, our merchant marine swept from the seas, loss of Hawaii and the Philippines, this is the spec Ire which today may loom large and terrifying on the horizon tomorrow.
 The smallness of the United States Army, compared to the great armed host s moving in Europe, is pointed out by Major-Gen Leeonard Wood, in his annual report as chief of staff of the army, recently made public. It shows that the actual strength of the army is l,602 officers, and S0,000 en- listed men, scattered over the world, and the general declared that to main tain a force within the United States sufficient for even a small expedition end the police work of the day 1t would be necessary to substantiai4y increase the regular establishment.
 This country is an unarmed, sleep ing giant, slumbering until some smaller nation, armed and equipped for war, attacks it and humiliates the greatest republic on the globe.
 Since it's organization the National Defense League has been laboring t. arouse a public sentiment throughout the country for better and more ade- Quate means and preparation for na- tional defense.
 It has also been active for National defense legislation in Congress.
 The League secured in the last ar my appropriation bill a clause, first introduced in the House as a separate bil. by it's Chairman. Representative Julius Kahn of California, which al lows the War department to distribute free of cost to civilian rifle clubs and schools, with ammunition, 2l2,on9 Krag.Jor gensen rifles now stored n the arsenals. This legislation was sought unsuccessfully for many years bv the National Association for the Promotion of Rifle Practice. Thanks to the Kahn bill, which was incorpo- rated in the army appropriation bill. ten civilians anywhere, can now or ganize rifle cub and secure free ri- fles and ammunition for target prac- tice. from the Government. It is be- lieyed this law will greatly stimulate rifle shooting throughout the country, and thus prepare, as marksmen, a large number of citizens, many ot whom would be yaluable nucleus for volunteers. The law also allows our schools, private or public, to receive free rifles and ammunition. This law was the greatest legislative work for the National defense yet accomplished by ihe League.
 The League within the last year was instrumental in securing orders from the Cabinet officers of the Wilson ad- pinistration that Government em- ployees everywhere who are members Of the National Guard, can take time from their Government duties for Ma tional Guard service. without their ef- ticiency records being hurt in the
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