The Washington times., 1915-07-29
THE PAcIFIST VIEW

THE PAcIFIsT VIEW
Congressman Hay, chairman of
the House Committee on Military
Affairs, has repudiated the interview
attributed to him, antagonizing
measures for increase of our army
and placing the nation on something
like a WAT footing; certainly in a
position to defend itself. Mr.. Hay
is entitled to acceptance Of the state
ment he makes; but the opinions
that were attributed to him are quite
typical Of views commonly put forth
by the pacifists who are sure that
the best way to avoid war is to be in
such position that any antagonist
will feel safe in making an attack.
Moreover, despite Mr.. Hays denial
Of the attitude attributed to him.
there is reason to expect a conflict
between the Administration and a
considerable element in Congress
concerning the naval-military pro-
gram for preparedness that is being
prepared.
In this business Of preparing for
war 1t is necessary to keep in mind
the actual conditions that confront
the nation. It would be vastly
cheaper to prepare an army of half
million men, and then never nave
to use it, than to neglect prepara-
ton and then be compelled to patch
an army together under stress of
great necessity, as England is doing.
Arguments against this plan sound
too much like the conversation that
was popular enough two years ago,
when nobody thought the thing would
ever happen that is now going on in
Europe. It is senseless to shut
eyes to facts as they are. It is all
well enough to prefer peace to war;
but the world is in one of its fren-
zied eras Of war. Gentlemen may
cry peace, peace; but there is no
peace" There is small prospect of
peace until there shall have been
long continuance Of war; of war
more wide-reaching and more ter
rible even than the past year has
seen.
Pacifists are willing that this
country. shall be placed in position
to defend itself. They say SO. But
what does that mean? Everything
in this topsy-turvy world of mill
tarist magslomania is now on q
scale of such immensity that cal
culations of ante-bellum days have
no significance whatever. Where
will we get the money for a large
increase in the army? they ask.
Where is Germany getting it? and
England, France, Russia? Where
would we get it If for want of pre-
paredness, we found ourselves need
ing all at once an army, not of a
half million, but Of two or three mil
lion men?
1t seems peculiarly excuseless to
pretend confidence, as SO many paci-
fists now are doing, that this coun-
try cannot be drawn into the Euro
pean war. We were drawn into the
Napoleonic wars, by both France
and England; and we acquitted our
selves, let it be observed, with small
credit. We came far nearer to COM
plication with the European troubles
Of lS4S than most Americans of to-
day quite realize. There was a
President who seriously considered
whether this country should inter-
vene In the interest of the Hun
,garian revolt against Austria; and
there was day when a single
American warship, in a Levantine
port, sent word to the commander
of an Austrian squadron Of half q
dozen big ships, that unless an
American citizen, held by the Aus
TRANS, was sent aboard the Ameri-
can vessel, he would be taken by
force! He was sent aboard.
Pacifists need to discriminate be.
tween the time of emergency and
; the time when there is no emer.
, gency. The present is a time OF
emergency. 1t is crime to be un.
: prepared when every sign in the
) world points the need of readiness
, That party, faction, Administration
, or Congressional group that shall be-
come responsible for a disaster t.
: this country by reason Of failure te