The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-14
WAR ECHOES

Philadelphia Evening Ledger: Millitar-
ism is a species of national insanity. Its
chief characteristics are thirst for glory
and a lust for conquest. 1t creates and
references a military caste that looks
with contempt upon all civilian people and
pursuits All legislation, all diplomacy,
all railroad construction and all taxation
are bent toward making an invincible
army. The idea overshadows, dwarfs and
subordinates everything else, whether So
cial, moral, industrial or political.
America can never tolerate mlitarism,
our temperament and our mature judg-
ment are against It, But to avoid one
extreme we need not go to another. Pres
ident Wilson is In favor of strengthening
our state militia. Five bills have been al
ready introduced into Congress with a
view to correcting our unprepare9ness.
George Wharton Pepper has protested Wig
orously against our blind self satisfac-
ton: IF we are to have peace, we must
also have the power to demand it. Be-
cause the Stars and Stripes has never
bowed to belligerent power does not say
that we shall continue to be the powerful,
peace-loving nation we are today All ]
say is that We are unprepared, and with
out any good reason for that condition. u
The European war is opening our eyes.
If Belgium could be Frustrated in a few
days in spite of the most solemn treaties
no nation is absolutely safe. Americans
are not asking for vast standing army
that will swallow $1,000, 900 600 year for
| maintenance and withdraw 100000 men
from productive occupations. Such an
| idea is unthinkable. The present agita-
tion in Congress and throughout the coun-
| try is for a calm, thorough and absolute
| ly honest investigation of our ability to
| protect our homes and our flag if they
should be attacked by foreign foe The
| request is nothing but natural prudence
| New York Times: Sport is made in the
Berliner Lokal Anzieger of the statements
often made in England that the German
national anthem, Deutschland, Deutsch-
| land Uber Allies" may be taken as typ
ical of national German spirit of ag-
| gressiveness for conquest of the whole
world and translated as Germany, Ger
many Over All That Stand in It's way!'
German is a difficult language says
| the Lokal Anzeiger 1.-THE rest of the
world will have to console itself with this
| thought, so long as we barbarians sur.
vive 1t is, therefore, not to be won
| dered at that Mr.. Lloyd George, in re-
Gently explaining Deutschland, Deutsth
land Uber Allies in his. address in Queens
hall, fell a victim to a misinterpreta
ton. At that famous meeting, usheret
In as De TELEGRAPH reports. with tn,
singing of English TRANSACTIONS of French
Belgian, Russian and japanese nauona
| anthems, Mr.. Lloyd George expressed
himself as follows: We are battling
against the spirit Of Deutschland
| Deutschland Uber Allies" which seeks t.
tear dow nall that stands in his way
"Mr. Lloyd George. according to this
would appear to have as little knowledg,
of the German attitudes as of the German
i language. We understand that. Thos,
whose national anthem has as its china,
the demand for world rule cannot imag
inc the modest point of view of anothe
people that holds that nothing is higher o.
nearer than its fatherland Robber ma
tions suspect robber sentiments in all
that Is merely automatic"