The Detroit times., 1915-07-20
OUR BEST DEFENSE
~ On. FRANK CRANE
Copyright. 1915. By Frank Crane,

Day after day, especially Sundays, the
newspapers keep up the screed of the
nations unpreparedness, the danger of
invasion from Germany, England, or
Japan. and the folly of not having an
army and navy big enough to scare
everybody.
The magazines are right after them.
They give lurid pictures and stories
showing that the COLLINS will get US if
We don't watch out.
We wonder at the amazing faulty that
led Europe into its present tangle. We
pidity and lack Of vision that leads the
by the nose, so that he follows only the
fatal cowpath Of Europe, and cannot see
the better, more intelligent American
way.
! Nobody wants war, neither the great
Granny man nor the limited-armament
man. The only question is, How best to
prevent war?
The knock-down argument of the
greater-army man is, What IL some ma
ton should attack US? In that case we
should certainly need more ships, guns,
and men.
But here's better question: Which
is easier, saner, and more practical, to .
ready for an attack, OR TO TAKE
SUCH MEASURES AS WILL REMOVE
ALL CAUSES OF ATTACK?
To be prepared for attack HAS
NEVER WORKED. That is the one in
sufferable FACT that no militarist can
get around. Why in time should we be
/ - fo1v hot a
ALWAYS failed7
On the other hand. to remove the
things that cause war is simple and pos
sible.
Says l.. A. Mead:
"The real malady OF mind OF those who learn
| no lesson from the collapse of the militarist
| prophecies as regards Europe's preparedness
| Is that they can no other form OF defense
than explosives. They are like man who can
see nothing but the surgeons knife Tor every
physical ailment and has no faith In constitu'
tional treatment through medicine or diet. ex-
/ erclse and fresh air..
What is our real defense, what are the
elements in Americas situation that
obviates war?
1. The prime cause Of war Is excess
sive armament Nations that are pre-
pared" are quarrelsome. Let US, there
fore. cause il to be known to all nations
that we are not ready to fight. and con-
seouently we do not threaten them. An
unarmed man has 10 chances to one over
the armed man in keeping out OF trouble.
2. Boundaries cause misunderstand-
ings and lead to war. Our long bound
airy line between us and Canada, unarm-
ed, and our wide oceans on either side,
are mighty good war insurance-better
- Lii - - II
sives.
8. We have 80 treaties for a years
delay previous to hostilities, treaties
which, while they may not prevent war,
get the war idea out of mems minds, and
help toward the general principle OF ar
bitration.
4. Our known neutrality. and long es-
tablished policy of not mixing in Euro
pean mbroglios.
3. Race hatred causes war. To adopt
a reasonable, courteous and just tone IN
our dealings with Japanese and other
foreigners will do hundred times more
toward avoiding war than to fill the Pa
cific with ironclads.
6. BUT MOST IMPORTANT OF
I ALI. would be to propose Immediately,
and to work for with all our might, some
form of world government, league OF
peace, or federation Of nations, which
shall substitute courts for cannon in adj
justing international differences. To
spend a million dollars on this is better
than spending ten billion on shooting
irons, bomb-dropping air-planes, and
poison gases.
The average "statesman's" mind is
rigid, narrow, bound by custom. All ne
can see is the traditional, usual defense
of armament. The fact that armament
don't prevent war, never did, never will,
does not disturb him.
Whether America is dragged into this
war or not. does not depend on the size
of our army or navy; it depends on
whether the leaders of thought here are
to continue to be sheep-brained, bat-eyed,
and tradition-hobbled, or will use their
intelligence, common sense, and moral
courage.
To initiate those constructive policio>
that eliminate the causes Of war is in
finitely cheaper, more rational saner,
~~l La