The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-08-05
PREPARE O WAR
Is CHANGE IN u. S.
Leaders and Newspapers Now
Advocate Preparation

The experiences growing out of
the present European war. together
with Japan's gobbling up about all
she wanted in China. has caused con
siderable change in the sentiment of
leaders in the United States. The
result is that they are now advocat-
ing that this great nation should
never be caught in such a weakened
condition that she could not defend
her rights-as the great Chinese ma
ton was by little Japan. And Ger
many's preparedness only emphasizes
the want of it among the allies at the
beginning of the war. This theory.
of course, must be based upon the
belief that the ancient idea Of might
is right" will continue to prevail
among the nations.
Nearly all leaders now. including
the President, two ex-presidents, and
congressman, take this view. Bryan.
of course, is opposed. Discussing the
subject, the st. Louis Globe Demo-
crat SAYS:
lone of the most gratifying phe-
nomena of public opinion is the prac-
tically overwhelming sentiment in
fovor of this country adopting a
policy of preparedness for military
and naval defense. The great war
is unquestionably responsible. 1t has
had the same effect that great con-
iagratlons have in arousing public
realization of the necessity for ade-
quate insurance. Less than a year
ago the president read a message to
Congress that afforded much comfort
to the fatuous pacifists. The last
annual report of the secretary of the
navy made light of the recommend
atoms of the general board and con-
tanned assurances of security which
were not based on the actual copdi-
ton of any branch Of the navy. AS
Stunning illegal authority. he threat
ened court martial against any naval
Official who should dare to tell the
country of true conditions. Only
one of the presidents official family
faced conditions and based his re-
Communications on our actual needs.
This was the secretary of war. In
his first report. in 1913, he showed
an indifference to military needs.
He even suggested that this country
pay no attention to military aero
nautics until other nations had de-.
veloped the art of aviation. But as
he became familiar with conditions,
he came out boldly for adequate
military preparedness, regardless of
the attitude of his chief and COL
leagues
The campaign for preparedness
was generally carried on by private
citizens and minority members of
Congress, aided by the logic Of
events. Now everybody, except the
incorrigible pacifsts, are in line.
The last Congress went beyond the
recommendations of the secretary of
the navy. He appears to have been
converted and will take an advanced
position in his next report. He is
Row busy organizing a board of civil
ian advisors to encourage and pass
upon naval inventions. The speaker
OF the House has declared for doub-
ling the number of students at West
Point and for assignment of regular
army officers to private schools. The
chairman of the Senate Committee
on Foreign Relations has gwen a
ringing interview in favor of pre-
paredness. Public sentiment is
aroused throughout entire country,
not in favor of ''militarism," the
bugaboo Mr. Bryan raised in the
campaign of 1900. but for the estab-
lishment and maintenance of sufi-
cient military and naval force to
protect this nations vitalinterests."