Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-02-09
WHY WE SHOULD NOT
INCREASE OUR ARMAMENT


There are various reasons why the
United States should not contract the dis
ease Of large ~armamrntS. II IL 4 c"nta-
ginu> disease aud one which the news ~
the present day intcctS certain classes 81
our citizens.
These classes are composed uf lli
those who are connected with the army
ar navy. who give their time AMI seen
tifir knowledge 10 the study If the past
ana future II war;t1l those who Il rrctlN
or al >,rond hand expect I" profit rom
mrrcially ~ 4 war ~ an armed peace.
and ~ those honest patriots who really
believe The various stories uf expected
attacks upon our u%1tiunal integrity or
prosperity induced ~ the hate ~ ava
rice of other nations.
The first class ~ happily small. due a.
our peaceful traditions. It, members
are however. active and III proportion n
their numbers influential. They have
developed their subject into one of CON
siderable interest and scientific eXian-
sion. They are intelligent and mostly
sincere and patriotic. The second class
rrvd have li,tlc consideration. They
are ~ many Americans. after business
profits. and If the preaching Of the do"
iIll'N ~ VIII paws AH'N VIII N' Ah'Ai
great influence upon public opinion.
through the press. "a fiji Their private rof
frr>. There are more uf them ia the ~
|errgatr than one generally recognizes.
The third class H. made up uf men
who are open "a conviction and will al
timatrly determine the question. The fol
lowing considerations may appeal a.
some uf them:
II j. not likely that any ~ the nations
now IA war 10 Europe will ~ ready 10 -
tack the United States for several H.
cadc>. IN the meantime" a"' -'"> ~ gun
boats Va chuu>r ~ make will ~ bur
dcncd with fearful taxes with crippled
industries. with abundant memories ~
the horrors uf the battlefield aud the
suffering NJ the uuu. cumhatlnt part w
the population. Nothing but the most
tlHgrtui attack IN ~. ~ i u]mhiuttiun
If conditions which un one can furr>tr.
could induce one wv u group w them Nv
enter upon the tremendously expensive
and probably uncertain and Improbable
task Of a. expedition against the United
States. For u hundred wears. except fnr
the f~arciral Spanish naval journey To- the
West Indies there has hrru wv attack
and during the most 81 this time our
preparations have been far less adequate
tllau now.
Nor NY there any more danger from m
pan. EVERYONE who has tell the temper
M III" IIpIur>,- government aud nruplr
i sure that r. ithcr interest nor dr>ir,
exists for an american war. \ war With
would y" without rrp>lr.ci 81 final >ir
cess AMI would bread them down with
financial huricu> The, or" ~ 49, cnndi
ton NJ stand. III vr would h-iuu half IA,
thought AMI Influence H. hear nu our
government M make absolutely iu>t ana
generous IN our treatment uf other M
tl"n> that some NM ~ ~nrud iu r.nrful
anticipation at what will never come. r.,
VIII hr immune from war fur n genera
ton ahead. These considerations mipht
lhlnrf' nm hi least NM bone our great
"Nhrrdiiur til the lessons and thr y.
suits M the present war are more clrlrI,
seen.
Ngain II MAJ. ~ Ne hap. shall some
time III the near future ~ able IL AT ~
i mediator and p~cactmakrr among the
warning nations We must approach the
ISSUE with lean hands and free from the
'>l>pIri"n ot Interior motives. We must
>aN IT, them ~ - VOICE which they will
respect. that We have nothing ~ giin
from them IN the way nf Territory ar
national privileges. We have nul, \ It
tlc army for polio" PURPOSES anl a navy
not strong enough for aggression. We
have made 49, preparations tn grasp ANY
thing for ourselves. W. should. N the,
wish. willingly act ~ arhitcr or simply
provide the machinery for their own wv
gutatlnnS. We want for The good nf all.
peace restored un u satisfactory. parma
ncnt basis. and We hope 10 gain for our
selves nothing. but our share NJ the bless
ingS which will follow this conSumma
ton. Only III this way can We a. our
duty.
" we begin w arm because We are To-
hind ~ the race for lrmamrnt> there j.
no end ~ The process rN rnt \ great war.
With every Increase abroad there will bc
2 new cry fer new appropriations here.
The burden of taxation. now already he.
ilg severely Tell in certain uunrttr>. will
grow bN leaps. Nuw I've tlil,l> Of nur
national "Nrpnlir res % tr vnrlikr pur
poses mcludin. pensions. This vast sum
VIII To- increased much more rapidly than
our resources. and either added taxes or
ne Withdrawal If aid from internal dr
NclopmentS will follow. How much