The sun., 1915-06-15
The Duty Of Preparedness.

The keynote of the admirable ad.
dress made by eN.Secretary of War
HENRY l.. STiMsoN at the National
Security League mass meeting in this
city last night was struck in the pas
eage in which he said that the time
for discussing our general military
policies was past, and that the time
had come for n prompt decision as
10 the best immediate steps to take
toward remedying the shortcomings
that are already known" Mr.. sim
son urged that every regiment of the
regular army and of the National
Guard he raised at once to its ful
strength: that the deficiency in field
guns. rifles and ammunition for the
equipment Of an adequate defence
force be made up as rapidly as pos
sible and that 1.-THE most vital short
age of all. the shortage OF trained
men fit to he the officers of our clti.
zen army" receive vigorous and prac-
teal attention.
No one expects that all this can be
done at once hut beginning can be
made. Ii must be made. Mr.. STIM.
son explained why with singular
clearness and unanswerable logic
The United States has undertaken,
as was its duty. not only TO its own
people but to the weaker nations that
look to 1t for leadership in the pres.
ervatlon OF neutral rights. to compel
respect for those rights by the Euro
pean belligerents, particularly 10y
Germany. to whom the United states
has sent several notes protesting
against her manner OF conducting
~subma rne warfare" Although mod.
crate and guarded in expression. those
communications contained the plain
Implication that II diplomacy failed
to turn Germany from her course the
United States would have to assert
It's rights otherwise.
But it Is the humlliating fact that
the United States is even less pre-
pared to assert its rights than are
Holland and Switzerland. which have
mobilized their armies for an emer-
gency. assuming said Mr.. STrM-
SON, that these countries acted pru-
IDENTIFY and wisely in preparing to de-
fend their rights by force. our obli-
CATION Is greater than theirs in pro-
portion as the right which has been
infrlnged 1.-The right of our citizens
on the Falaba. Guflght and Lusi-
tanta to the protection required by
international lawl was more sacred
than their rights which were threat.
ened." There is no avoiding this
conclusion. and the American people
will face 1t unflnchlngly. The time
has come to put theory and profeS-
sion into action. Mr.. STIMsoN made
the direct appeal when he said that
"the surest way to get into fight Is
10 use strong language and stand
with ones hands in ones packets"
The United States Government has
used strong. bur not provocative.
language about lis rights. and not
having the military resources to back
that language up must provide them
without delay or hesitation. II will
take time. ana MS ncton by Congress
IS necessary the people everywhere
.nust put themselves on record.
The National Security League Is
doing brave and patriotic work by
It's meetings. exhibits, distribution Of
literature and appeals for funds 10
carry on the campaign to arouse the
country to the need Of lmprcssing
Congress with the gravity Of the stu
alton. The emergency will last as
long az the war IN Europe. and pos
sihly for years to come: II peace
should he concluded without the
United States being involved pre-
paredness must still be the watch.
WORD OF Americans. They have