The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-14


absolutely our duty to prepare for our
own Defense
The Swiss System Endossed-
This country needs something like
the Swiss system of war-traininx for
its young men Switzerland is one
OF the most democratic governments
In the world. and it has given its
young men such an efficient training
as to ensure entire preparedness for
war. without suffering from the least
touch of militarism. Switzerland is
at peace now primarily because all
the great military nations that sur
round it know that its people have no
intention Of making aggression on
anybody and yet that they are thor
oughly prepared to hold their own
and are resolute to fight to the last
against any invader who attempts
either to subjugate their territory or
by violating its neutrality to make it
a battle ground
A bishop o. the Episcopal church
recently wrote me as follows: How
lamentable that we should stand idle
making no preparations to nforce
peace, and crying peace when there
is none! I have scant sympathy for
the short-sightedness of those who
decry preparation for war as a means
OF preventing it
The manager of a land company in
Alabama writes me urging that some
one speak for reasonable prepared
ness on the part of the nation He
states that it is always possible that
we shall be engaged in hostilities with
some first class power, that he hopes
and believes that war will never
come, but adds:
II may not believe that my home
will burn down or that am going to
die within the period of my expect
ancy. but nevertheless I carry fire and
life insurance to the full insurable
value on my property and on my
life to the extent of my ability. The
only insurance OF our liberties as
people is full preparedness for a de-
tense adequate against any attack
and made in time to fully meet any
attack. We do not know the attack
is coming; but to wait until it does
come will be too late. Our present
weakness lies in the widespread opin-
ion among our people that this coun-
try is invfncible because Of its large
population and vast resources. This
l believe is true if, and only if, we
use these resources or a small part of
them to protect the major part, and
if we train at least a part Of our peo-
pie how to defend the nation. Under
existing conditions we can hardly
hope to have an effective army in the
field in less time than eight or ten
months. Today not one per cent OF
our people know anything about rifle
shooting
None More for Peace.
I quote these two out of many let
tiers, because they sum up the general
feeling of men of vision Both OF my
correspondents are most sincerely for
peace. No man can possibly be more
anxious for peace than I am. for II
war ever came 1 would probably have
to go to it myself, If was not too old,
md fnrrr
to CO. 1 ask those individuals VINO
think of me as firebrand to remember
that during the seven and a half years
was president not shot was f1re0
at any soldier Of a thostile nation oy
any American soldier or sailor; and
there was not 50 much as threat OF
war. Even when the state OF Panama
threw off the alien yoke OF Colombia
and when this nation, acting as was
its manifest duty. by recognizing Fan
anna as an independent state. stood Tor
the right Of the governed to govern
themselves on the Isthmus, as well as
for pustice and humanity. there was not
a shot fired by any OF our people at any
Colombian. The blcodshed at Vera
Cruz, like the unpublished wrongs com
mitted on our people in Mexico, had
no parallel during my Administrations
When I left the presidency there was
not a cloud on the horizon-and one
of the reasons why there was not
American battle fleet had just returned
from its sixteen months trip around
the world, a trip such as no other bat
tie fleet OF any power had ever taken.
which it had not been supposed could
be taken, and which exercised great
er influence for peace than all the peace
congresses of the last fifteen years
With Lowell I most emphatically be-
lieve that peace Is not gift that tar
ries long in the hands of towards; and
the fool and the weakling are no I'M
-provement on the coward.
Nineteen centuries ago in the great
est of all books we were warned that
whose loses his life for righteousness
shall save it and that he who seeks to
save 1t shall lose it. The ignoble and
abject gospel of those who would teach
US that it is preferable to endure dis
grace and discredit than to run any
risk to life or limb would defeat its
own purpose: for that kind OF submis-
sion to wrongdoing merely invites fur
ther wrongdoing, as has been shown
a thousand times in history, and as is
shown by the case Of China in our own
days. Moreover, our people, however
ill prepared, would never consent to
such abject submission; and indeed as
a matter of fact our publicists and pub
lie men and our newspapers, instead OF
being too humble and submissive are
only too apt to indulge in very offensive
talk about foreign nations OF all the
nations OF the world We are the ono
that combine the greatest amount OF
wealth with the smallest ability to de-
fend that wealth. Surely one does not
have to read history very much or pom
der over philosophy great deal in or
der to be opulent, offensive and I'M
armed There is utter inconsistency
between the ideal of making this nation
the foremost commercial power in the
world. and Of disarmament in the face
of an armed world. There is utter in
|, consistency between the ideal OF max
ing this nation a power for internA-
tional Righteousness and at the Same
time refusing to make US a power ef-
ficient in anything save empty treaties