Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-09-14
MONDAY. SEPTEMBER IA, 1914.
NOTIFICATIONS.

Paris is frequently described as the
best fortified city in the world. In
addition to its medieval walls 1t is pro-
tected by a double circle Of forts, built
with all the skill that modern science
can command, with immense guns
placed in such a manner that they can
sweep the country for many miles
around, and deal death to any ap-
preaching foe. These forts are con-
nected by railways by means Of which
guns. ammunition and men may be
transported quickly and secretly from
point. These Notifications are said to
have cost the French government over
$500, 900. 900.
Chicago is nearly as large as Paris.
But Chicago has no walls, no forts,
no guns. no d%efenses of any kind. Not
a dollar has been spent to protect
the city from attack. This is true Of
every American city with the excep-
ton of those fronting on the sea-
board. Why is it that it Is considered
necessary to spend millions on the for
tifications Of some cities, and nothing
to defend others? The answer is not
that our inland cities are so distant
from the ocean that they are in no
danger, for Chicago, Detroit, Cleve-
land. Duluth and Buffalo are on a.
great international waterway, and are
just the sort of cities which, In Ell
rope. it would be considered neces-
sary to protect by vast and costly
works.
The difference is thai the nations Of
Europe have gone armed to the teeth,
while the powers holding the territory
on both sides of our northern border
have been guilty of no UGH foolish
ness. Great Britain and the United
States agreed long ago hat neither
nation would maintain warships on
the Great Lakes. That simple and
sensible agreement settled the whole
matter. The two countries have been
relieved of a permanent expense Of
hundreds of millions of dollars, an ex-
pense which would have been unpro-
ductive of the slightest good to any
one. .
France has spent on defensive
works around her capital nearly as
much as the cost of building the Pan
mi canal. She has spent other hun
dreds of millions on defenses else
where She has been forced to do this
because of the possibility of attack by
some other armed power. But if the
other powers had not been armed,
France might have saved that money.
The ground occupied by the Paris
forts could have been devoted to the
raising of cabbages inc the building
of homes, The money which these
works nave cost could have remained
in the pockets of the people, to make
the burdens Of life less oppressive. or
1t could have been devoted to public
works Of permanent value. with the
same result.
Disarmament has been ridiculed as
a dream. 1t is not a dream. It is
one Of the most practical things yer
suggested. On the other hand, the
conditions under which the world has
been living, with its pernicious COM
petition in armament, is worse than a
dream. 1t is a nightmare.
It is most earnestly to be hoped that
out Of the horrors Of this awful war
will come such an awakening Of the
private citizenship of every civilized
nation that no government dare resist
the demand for the inclusion of limi.
tation Of armament among the terms
Of peace, and that it will be distinctly
understood that this is but a step to-
ward speedy disarmament. The can
non and the b~attleship. the rife and
the bayonet. except for the mainte-
nance of order and the enforcement
of the DEGREES of lawfully constituted
courts, domestic or international, be
long in the scrap heap. with the DIVING
right of kings and other rubbish OF
that nature.