The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-07

iore4o0ens by the HAgue conventions. h
pr otest against them when other powers |
have suffered. It would be both ridiculous
and humiliating for US to make even the
slightest appeal for assistance or to ex-
pect any assistance from any other pow
ers II ever we In our turnfsuffer ~ IN
like fashion. Il would be pdreiy our At
that other powers would take the kind Of
action which we ourselves have refused
to take. 1t would be our time to take
covardice to make Wry faces over It or
to expo It sympathy. stu less aid, from
outsiders.
When N. Y. Destroyed Cbeerfully.
AS I have already stated. my own view
Is most strongly that II we were assailed
in accordance with the plans Of foreign
powers above mentioned, it would be our
business positively to refuse to allow any
city to ransom itself, and cheerfully to
accept the destruction OF New York. or
San Francisco. or any other city as the
alternative ns,,l, tn to such ., ransom Our duty
payment rightfully due from us to Fate
for our folly in having listened to the
ciamor Of the feeble folk among the
ultra-pacificists. and In having endorsed
the unspeakable sillipess of the policy
contained in the proposed cll-inclusive
arbitration treaties of Mr.. Taft and in
the accomplished ali-inclusfye arbitration
treaties Of Messrs. Wilson and Bryan.
very earnestly hope that this nation
respecting policy in international afrsirs.
earnestly hope that ultimately we shall
live up to every international obligation
live up to them during the seven and q
half years while was president. earn
estly hope that we shall ourselves become
one of the joint guarantors of world
peace under such plan as that have
already outlined, and that we shall hold
ourselves ready and willing to act as \
member OF the international posse COM
ttaus to enforce the peace Of righteous
ness as against any offender big or small
This would mean q great practical stride
toward relief from the burden of excess
sive military preparation. 1t would mean
. that long step had been taken toward
at least minimizing and restricting the
area and extent Of possible warfare. 1t
would mean that all liberty-loving and
enlightened peoples, great and small.
would be freed from the haunting night
mare Of terror which now besets them
quest of their land.
Until this can be done we owe 1t to our
selves as nation effectively to safeguard
ourselves against all livelihood of dis
aster at the hands of foreign foe. We
should bring our navy up to the highest
point of preparedness we should handle
and should see that the training was
never intermitted. We should make our
little regular army larger and more eff
most heartily believe that we should re-
turn to the ideal held by our people in the
days of Washington, although never lived
example of such typical democracies as
Switzerland and Australia. and We
should provide and require military train
ing for all our young men, Switzerland's
efficient army has unQuestionably been
! the chief reason why In this war there
has been no violation Of her neutrality.
has enabled her at once to ship large
bodies Of first rate fighting men to Eng
land aid England at the moment is
saved from the fate of Belgium only be-
cause of her navy; and the small size of
| her army, her lack of arms. her lack of
previous preparations. doubtless anoro
red at all, for there would certainly have
been no war If the peoples of the con-
tinent had had to face the fact that Eng
land could at once put IN the neid an
army as large and effective rs for in
stance that Of France.
Require Military Training of All Men.
Training of our young men in field
maneuvers and in marksmanship, as is
less extent In Australia. would be of inn
mcnse advantage to the physique and
morale of our whole population. 1t would
not represent any withdra wal of our pop
ulation from civil pursuits. such as &C.
ours among the great military states of
the European continent. In Switzerland,
in the schools. and the young man after
graduating serves only some four months
with the branch of the army to which he
is attached. and after that only about
eight days a year. not counting his rifle
practice. All serve alike, rich and poor
without any exceptions; and all whom
nave ever met. the poor even more than
the rich, are enthusiastic over the bene-
ffcial effects of the service, and the in
crease in self-reliance, self-respect and
en- cheney which it has brought The ut
! who have not been trained will be evil
dent to anyone who cares to read such
works works as p Professor Johnson.s recent
| make thorough study of the Swiss and
Australian systems, and then adapt them
to our own use. To do SO would not be
a stride toward war. the feeble folk
among the ultra-pacificists would doubt
less maintain. 1t would be the most eff
fectlal , possible t,l;.,, guaranty that peace
| would also make It possible for. us not
only to insure peace for ourselves. but
to oh, have s our words . carry weight II we
and injustice at the expense of others.
But we must always remember that no
institutions will avail unless the private
citizen has the right spirit When a lead
| ing congressman. himself with war ex-
pcrience, shows conclusively in open
speech In the house that We are utterly
unprepared to do our duty to ourselves II
assailed President Wilson answers him
with a cheap sneer. with unworthy levity:
Wood are treated with the same fndiffer-
ence. Nevertheless. do not believe that
| this attitude on the part of our public
victions of the average American. AS
Charles Bonapartc in his recent admira-
! BILE articles has said, "A militia would
afford little security to a free state If
made up of poltroons or of peace-at-any-
price people," the ideal citizen of q free
| state must be a first class fighting man
who sccrns either to endure or to inflict
wrong. American society is sound at core
and this means that at bottom We as a
people accept as the basis of sound NOR
| ality not slothful ease and soft selfish
ness and the loud timidity that fears
every species of risk and hardship. but
the yirfie strength of manliness which ac-
cepts as the ideal the stern unflinching
performance of duty, and which follows
withersoever that ideal may lead.-(Copy-