The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-09-23

several nations now graphing. at each
others throats. No one has yet been
able to assign anything like an ade-
Quate cause, not even plausible eX-
cuSe, for the devastating war now in
progress. 1t is coming to the surface
OF late that the war came as the re-
suit of jealousy. competition in trade
and uncomfortable ambition Of lead
ers which has existed for years, dur
ing which time large standing armies
have been maintained and equipments
for war have been invented. If this
great war commenced without any
adequate cause, what is to him
der this country being selected
for attack by some other nation or
nations when it may suit their purpose
to do so? This is not question as to
when an attack will be made because
we may not be able to foresee the eX-
cuse which may induce it. The inn
portant question is how can we de-
fend ourselves from attack? The peo-
PIE of this country have been concern
ed about keeping down expenses rath-
er than on the question of providing
defenses to preserve the life OF the
nation. We have been willing to as
sumo that an attack will not be made
upon us from outside simply in order
to avoid meeting the expense OF pre-
pairing coast defenses and maintain
ing sufficient army and navy to in
sure freedom from attack. We have
not shown a disposition to keep down
expenses in other respects and have
allowed extravaganza and the want OF
conservatism to develop until the an
nual expenses OF the government have
passed far beyond the billion dollar
mark. The public buildings bill and
river and harbor (pork barreD bill,
running up to fifty and hundred mill
ion dollars each, are popular with the
American congress because the states
men themselves who make the author
ization may gain little political pres
tige by securing something for their
districts and states, but when it
comes to. the preparation for coast
defense and building OF battleships,
which would prove effective in our
national defenses, we shrink from the
performance of duty that is evident
to one concerned about the welfare OF
1.-THE country. If we could cut out some
of the extravaganza of river and har-
Dor bills and the pay for thousands OF
high priced inspectors and officers OF
the government we would then have
more money to employ in providing
defenses against foreign attack. We
are not prepared to assert that there
is immediate danger of attack from
any foreign country, but we do know
that if the attack is once made that
our helplessness will at once be recog-
nized. What is there to prevent a
successful attack against the Pacific
coast? 1t is asserted, and we fear the
assertion is too true, that if war
should be declared against the United
States that two hundred thousand sol
diers of the enemy could be landed
upon the Pacific coast in less than q
month and before we could effect an
organization which would prevent the
whole of the Pacific coast falling into
the hands of the enemy. 1t is Grim
inal carlessness to permit this condi-
ton to exist. We have the extensive
coast line to defend and it cannot be
expected that nominal expense will
meet the requirements. We must
have to insure permanent peace a
larger army, larger number OF bat
tleships and better coast defenses. We
are glad to see that congress is wax
ing up to the situation and that a
movement is on foot to provide con-
gressional investigation to determine
just how defenseless the country is
and to make recommendations for in
creasing our defenses. We fear, how
ever, that the democratic party, which
is now in control OF this matter, while
willing to spend millions upon mill
ions of dollars for purposes less
worthy, will not rise to the occasion
in order to provide means for defend
ing the country against the danger Of
foreign attack.