New Britain herald., 1915-05-15
Put Americans On Guard. (Washington Post.)

If the president were to call con- eress in extraordinary session for the purpose of providing for national de- fense, the country would be we'll pie ased
 In times of riot and domestic insur- rection extra police officers are sworn in. The authorities take precautions when widespread strikes threaten to tie up the United States malls. The troops are moved to advantageous places and theh militia is ordered out.
 These are times of worldwide dis turbance and threats of war. The United States is threatened from sew eral directions. If it is to defend it's rights, it may become involved in war. Enough has happened already to make it plain that the United States should have a gooG-sized army, an efficient navy and effective coast fortifications and defenses if 1t is to play any other than a eontemptible and pusillanimous role among the nations
 American rights have been in- fringed and violated, American citi- zens have been slaughtered, Amer ican ships torpedoed and sunk, Amer ican cargoes seized and the American flag misused If this is not sufficient to require preparations to enforce American rights. what is? Must for cign fleets actually lombard Amer jean ports or seize American territory i.efore the United States will assert itself.
 We all hope the injuries done to this country will be accounted for to our satisfaction, and that further az gressions vii cease. But we don't know what enraged and desperate na- tions of war will take such great pains to mollify the United States. Suppose they should not. Suppose there are other outrages Ike the de- strucion of Americans on the Lusi- tdnia, other captures of American cargoes, other American ships sunk without warning. Then, prepared or unprepared. the American people would make war.
 An army of 500.000 men should be organized If these men are not needed, they can be disbanded when the clouds have cleared away. If needed, they will be badly needed. T hey may save the nation from un- told disaster shame and loss of life snd property.
 
 ing American citizens to rally around the American flag. Americans are Ieace loving. There is no military ollgarcy in this country. The army dces not rule, and it never will. Tn 1865 several million Americans trained in war laid down their arms ai.d returned to their homes without q sign of militarism without any wish except to resume their peaceful avocations.
 We would rather place our trust in a strong army of Americans than in the assurances of any foreign nation We have no fear that an American army would be unruly, or that mili- tnrism would transform the country into war machine, or that the pos session of this warlike force would tempt the government to plunge into war.
 Americans can be trusted. If we cannot rely upon our own people. we cannot rely upon anybody. The gov ernment can be trusted It will not run amuck the moment a powerful weapon is placed in its hands. It will use this weapon for defense is necas sary, and if not necessary it will lay the weapon aside.
 Who counts the cost of organizing and training an army of 500,000 men If the cost is to be counted, let the cost of unpreparedness be count cd also If repeated outrages stir the American people to war while they gre unprpared, they must count the cost 1t might run into billions before a belated defensive movement could stop the havoc.
 Millions spent now might save bill lions later on.