New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-13
PEACE, THOUGH WE FIGHT FOR 1T
The Fool That Blows His Trumpet BE-
fore He Takes Up tho Sword.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: was amused at reading the
letter in The Peoples Column OF TO-
days issue which you have entitled
Peace, Though We Fight for IT, and
several questions have occurred to me
which should like to ask tho writer.
First He who is so anxious TO hght
and take all arms away from all war
ring nations or die in the attempt
will ne enlist and fight 70 carry out his
own plan, or does he want some other
one 20 DO the fghtiug7
Second With what forces shall the
United States start In to regulate the
world and other nations? We have now
a regular mobile army of $4,000 avail.
able in the United States. Shall all OF
these be sent away from this country,
leaving nothing behind except the ma
tionai guard? II 20, of what lmpor-
lance would $4,000 be compared with
the millions engaged on the other side
and what about leaving the country de-
feuceless?
Third Does he advocate raising an
adequate army Of, say, 100000 men
How long does he think il will take 10
raise and make such force efhclent !
Certainly not less than year, even II
present facilities. Or does he think
that al unframed mob of "A million men
fving 20 the colors with all the fine
ardor Of patriotism would be efficient
against the six million trained German
soldiers. or the four million French,
the eight million Russians, 70 say moth
ing ~ the Austrisns, British, Turks,
Bulgarians. Servians and other nations
trained and ready II IL fact, though
little appreciated by "our peace-at-any-
price" compatriots, that the larger tho
mass Of unframed troops the more in
efficient. helpless and likely 10 disaster
they are.
Some time ago gentleman said to
me: "Why, If "A foreign force should
land upon our shores, six million
patriots would Immediately ly 20 arms
aud sweep them into the ocean" Mr..
Editor, the thought Of those six million
patriots flying to arms would be comic
If il were not 20 tragic. They would be
Just about equal 70 handling brooms
for sweeping purposes, but certainly
not for handling modern rifles without
suitable training. What would such a
force be armed with? We have not
enough weapons ready. What would
they be supplied with? We have not the
tran spOrtation nor quartermaster's
supplies. What would they be uni
formed with and housed in? We have
neither uniforms nor tents for such a
mob. nor tenth of that number.
Moreover. if as civilians they "sprang
10 arms" as our forefathers did al
Lexington, they would, according 70 the
German rule. be considered francs
tireurg." Shippers" "bushwhackers,
cuerillas." and their fate would be
as we have seen in Belgium firing
squad and a stone wall.
Our regular army should be enlarged
and organized, so that this country Will
be able 10 defend and enforce the
scraps Of paper" 10 which Il has put
It's name and 20 back its moral force
with physical force should IL become
necessary. What could our pitiful little
$4,000 army than which, man for man,
there IL none better have done had
Belgium's fate been ours?
There is an old legend OF a man who
entered a great room In an old castle,
around the walls of which we're motion
less figures Of men in armor, and on
the table IN the centre OF The room lay
a sheathed sword and trumpet The
man advanced 20 the table and blew 4
resounCing blast upon the trumpet,
when suddenly the arnored figures
sprang TO life and threw him lfeless
out OF the room. while voice pro-
claimed: Fool. that bloweth the trum-
pet before he taketL up the sword"
JOHN W. LOVELAND,
Major 5th New Jersey Infantry,
New York, Oct. 7. 1914.