The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-24

chemists and physicists and engineers,
and to get them to work systematicall
upon the anticipation and preparation of
our future war equipment. We need
service of invention to recover our lost
lead in these matters.
And IL Is because | feel so keenly the
want of such service. and the want of
great sums of money for II. that / de-
plore the disposition to waste millions
upon the hasty creation OF a universal
service army and upon excessive dread
noughting | am convinced that we are
spending upon the things OF yesterday
the money that is sorely needed for the
things of tomorrow.
with our eyes averted obstinately
from the future We are backing toward
disaster.
In the present armament competition
there are certain considerations that APP
pear to be almost universally overlooked
and which tend to modify our views
profoundly of what should be done. tlti-
mately they will affect our entire eN-
pendlture upon war preparation.
Expenditure upon preparation for war
falls. roughly. into two classes; there Is
expenditure upon things that have
a diminishing value; things that grow
old fashioned and wear out, such as
Publications. ships, guns and ammuni-
ton, and expenditure upon things that
have permanent and even growing
value. such as organized technical re-
search, military and naval experiment,
and the education and increase of
highly trained class of war experts.
want TO suggest that we are spend
ing too much money In the former and
not enough In the latter direction. We
are buying enormous quantities of stun
that will be old iron in twenty years
time. and We are starving ourselves
of that which cannot he bought or made
In a hurry and upon which the strength
Of nations ultimately rests altogether;
we are falling To get and maintain
suffcicnCy of highly educated and de-
vcloped men inspired by a tradition of
service and efficiency.
No doubt we mus; he armed to-day.
but every penny We divert from men
making and knowledge making to arma-
mcnt beyond the margin of bare safety
is "A sacrifice OF the future To the present.
Every penny we divert from national
wealth making. to national weapons
means So much less in resources. so
much more strain in the years ahead.
IBut great system Of laboratories and
experimental stations. "A systematic. in
dustrious increase of men Of the officer
aviator type, of the research student
type. of the engineer type, of the naval
officer type of the skilled sergeant
instructor type, a mcthodical develop
ment of a common sentiment and a com
mon zeal among such body of men, is
an added strcng,h that grows greater
| from the moment you call it into being.
| In our schools and military and naval
| colleges lies the proper field for eNpcndi-
ture upon preparation for our ultimate
triumph in war. All other war prepara-
ton is temporary but that.
This would be obvious in any case, but
what makes insstcnce upon it pc
cullarly urgent is the manifcstly tempo
rary nature of the present European
situation and the fact that within quite
a small number OF years our war front
will he turned in n direction quite O, her
| than that to which ii faces now.
For decade and more all western
Europe has been threatened by German
turbulence; the German. inflamed by the
victories of 1870 and 1871, has poured
out his energy in preparation for war 10y
sea and land. and it has been the diff
| cult task of France and England tn
keep the peace with him. The German
| has been the provoCator and leader of
| all modern ornaments. But that Is not
| going on. 1t is already more than half
| over. If we can avert war with Ger
| many for twenty years we shall never
have to fight Germany In twenty years
time We shall be talking no more of
sending troops TO fight side by side on
the frontier of France; We shall be talk
! ing Of sending troops To fight side by