New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-03
ANOTHER ASPECT OF NATIONAL DUTY
Policy Must Insure Safety and

militsrism as an unmixed evil Il Is trp.r..
a military class was created and undouh.a%H
true that this class has been overbesriry -,
has not always furthered the cause ~ -.
patriotism But believe, II one will bon.,,-
en6oayor 20 ascertain the truth. tina. ~
fault lies not in the inherent evil Of 81
system, but rather that the German ehayse...
he's been changed and lofty ideals .hrouobnr.
the nation have been altered through sordii
desires.
The fact is that the military serv;c, Z,
Germany France, Austria and Russia app.s-,
g, me much moro thoroughly democratic TIA,
the system practiscd in England and in on,
own country. Where every citiz.n is tsuyb,
To bear arms the enslavement Of that counfr,
b. .ts rulers must be voluntary Who're TIA
citizens know nothing about arms asd gbsr.
standing army Is maintained the power q,
'lp ruler, be he termed king or president. IA
Ludr'y and # seems % mo uasafely-er.
HANGED. For with great regular force =.
his command the executive is under the
temptation " the business nan with rriin
tied credt % get frs. and hiak af,srwsrs
WI.h citizen so.d.cry bound 20 their sora
agocat.ons, as are rhe Swiss. and armed each
with q citizens protest, pause would he given
fer thought.
The teaching Of our young men ard % our
diplomats 20 so conduct themselves that corr
tcsy be the rule in every transaction IS fun.
damentai and viii go FAR as preventive o,
strife For the saying be true that /. take,
two 20 make "a quarrel. Nevertheless. Il 4
equally true that 10 requires but one 20 CON.
mi. murder or a burglary.
WITH This In mind and with Belgium before
us as an example. let us determine ou. course
as a nation aad then act speedily For il viii
take years for any conservative plan 70 fur.
rish IN adequate number Of trained men.
At the beginning Of 1915 no American had
been wounded or drowned and no American
right seriously interiercd with by another
nation. We we're great, rich country, whose
trade and general prosperity were greater than
six months before. We were ~ peace with sl
the world We were loved, - Is true, By none,
yet we existed amicabIy among the family Of
nations and rrosperea The standard Of liy.
ing had seldom been higher Poverty was
hardly known and individual effort was secure
in the fruit Of that effort.
So was il also with Rome; yet wher her
citizens AZ large ceased personally 20 return
to the state that personal service which
meant national preparedness for defence then
began the end OF her national existence.
It has been said that time changes every.
thing except human character. The lack Of
personal devotedncss ia Rome which kept her
citizens at home, busy in trade and pleasure,
killed the ability 10 act when action became
imperative. The sight OF great, rich state
operated slowly but rresistibly Oh the minds
Of the northern barbarans. The resultant OF
these two sets Of psychical forces had its
natural result. The barbarans came, al first
we're held Off BY mercenaries, came again.
broke through, and the seeming giant, Rome,
was found mere pygmy. And It's amasied
r. hes were taken over By the barbarians
JOHN BUTLER MCOOK.
Hartford, Conn, Sept. p, 1915.