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

calculation. As Germany faces round
eastward again. as she must do before
very long, we shall find India resuming
its former central position in our ideas
of international politics. With India we
may pursue one of two policies: we may
keep her divided and inefficient for war,
as she is at present. and hold her and
own her and defend her as a prize. or
we may arm her and assist her develop
ment into group of quasi-independent
English speaking States--in which case
she will become our partner. and posi-
bly, at last even our senior partner
But that is by the way. What I am
pointing out now is that whether we
fight Germany or not q time is drawing
near when Germany will cease to be
our war objective and we shall cease TO
be Gcrmany's war objective, and when
there will have to be IA complete re-
vision of our military and naval equip
ment In relation to those remoter,
vaster Aslatic possibilities.
Now that possible campaign away
there. whatever it's particular nature
may be, which will he shaping our mill
tary and naval policy In the year 1888
or thereabout will certainly be quite
different in it's conditions from the pos
sible campaign in Europe and the mar
row seas which determines all our
preparations now We cannot contem-
plate throwing an army of million
British conscripts onto the northwest
frontier of India. and a fleet Of super
dreadnoughts will be ineffective either
in Tibet or the Baltic shadows. All
our present stuff indeed, will be on the
scrap heap then. What will not be on
the scrap heap will be such enterprise
and special science and inventive power
as we have got together. That Is YER
satile. That is good to have now and
that will be good to have then.
Every one nowadays seems demand
ing increased expenditure upon war
preparation. ] will follow the fashion.
| viii suggest that we have the courage
to restrain and even to curtail our
monstrous outlay upon war material
and that we begin TO spend lavlshy
upon military and naval education and
training, upon laboratories and expert
mental stations, upon chemical and
physical research and all that makes
knowledge and leading, and that we In
crease our expenditure upon these
things as fast as we can up to ten or
twelve millions a year. At present we
spend about eighteen and half millions
n year upon education out of our national
funds. but fourteen and "A half of this.
supplemented by about as much again
from local sources, is consumed in
merely elementary teaching. So that
We spend only about four millions a
year of public money on every sort OF
research and education above the sim
pie democratic level. Nearly thirty
millions for the foundations and only "a
seventh for the edifice of will ana
science! Is it any marvel that We are
badly organized nation. a nation Of
very widely diffused intelligence and
very second rate guidance and achieve
ment? Is II any marvel that directly
We are tested by such a new develop
ment as that of aeroplanes or airships
We show ourselves In comparison with
the more braced up nations of the Con-
tinent backward. unorganized. unim-
| aginative, uncnterprslng?
our supreme want to-day. IL we are
to continue a beligerent people. is "A
greater supply of able, educated men
versatile men capable of engines. of
| aviation. of invention. of leading and
initiative. We need more laboratories,
more scholarships out of the general
mass of elementary scholars. a quasi
military discipline in our colleges and
a great array of new colleges. a much
reader access to instruction in aviation
and military and naval practice. And
IL we are to have national service let
us begin with it where 1t is needed most
and where 1t is least likely To disor-
ganiZe our social and economic life; let
us begin at the top. Let us begin with
the educated and propertied classes and
exact a couple of years service in q