The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-06-11
ADDRESS BEFORE THE ALUMNI
: ASSOCIATION NEWBERRY COLLEGE
EDWARD B HOUsEAL, CLASS 'o6.

to protect its integrity, its indepen-
dence, its women and its children. We
may as we'll say t2at we will not pro-
vide ourselves with rubber overshoes
and umbrellas so that We will not have
unexpected showers. Or that We will
suppress winter clothing so that we
will not nave cold weather. There
were people long ago who did not be-
lieve in preparedness, for when Old
Noah and his three sons were build
ing TIE ark, these people murmured
and said: "Why are you building this
great ark? Why the very fact that
you are building it is enough to bring
on food" But when the ark an
chored On Mount Ararat, Noah knew
that beneath him in ten fathoms OF
water were a world of people who did
not believe in preparedness.
And, yet Mr.. Wilson-for whom I
have the highest regard-and who
think is the greatest president of all
time-Mr. Wilson says:
"And what is it that is suggested
that we are prepared to do? To de-
fend ourselves against attack? We
lave always found the means to do
that, and shall always find them when
ever necessary"
,,Oh, how could a man who reached
maturity before 1S98-a man who has
written a great history of the United
states-say. eve have always found
the means?"
Has any one Of you orgotten that
the lives of Hundreds of brave and
noble young men of America were sac
rifced, because while the soldiers OF
Aguinaldo were armed with modern
rifles, with smokeless powder, the
American boys were armed with old
fashioned Springfield rifles the smoke
of whose antiquated ammunition re-
vealed the American firing line?
Has any one of you forgotten how
the boys who volunteered from New
berry went away to war, unarmed ann
in citizen clob-es? How men suffered
in camps because of lack of adequate
supplies, because of lack of proper
food and proper medicallt ltrea +ment?
Has any one of you forgotten that
seventeen years ago, within sight OF
New York city on Hoffman's Island
because of insufficient preparation, be-
cause of the lack of simplest medical
treatment, men lay and suffered, while
in their eyes there famed the red fire
celebrating TIE fall of Santiago?
Seventeen years ago in fever camp
in loathsome transport, in battle and
out of battle unpreparedness cost this
nation the lives of many who vol
unteered for the noblest cause fol
which young men can serve.
Yes, l agree with Mr.. Wilson tnat
we can always find means. 1 be.
lieve tat we would lick any nation
or any body of nations on earth in q
finish fight, but that we would get g
mighty fine trouncing in the first f1f.
teen or twenty rounds. And 1 think
that Mr.. Wilson meant, when he saiG
that we will find the means that Amer.
leans will invariably rise to defend
t cir homes: that there need be nc
force to drive men to enlist. Yet, was
the courage of the Belgians any pro.
lection against the ruin that has be.
fallen that nation? Does not the pres,
ent war teach US that courage, de.
votion, sacrifice, is as nothing with
preparation? Before the fire of ~,
centimetre guns, the body, if not the
spirit, of national defense crumbles
And 42-centimetre guns are not the
work of months, but years. Courage
unfortifed by preparation, becomes
mere wanton waste when war be.
gins.
The simple question that the Amer,
ican people must answer is this
"Sball we arm or shall we disarm?"
Since 1898 the United States has
taken on greater responsibilities, fol
example; Panama and the PHILIPPINES
These possessions must be defended
if We are to defend them, for they
must excite the avarlce and invite the
attack Of those nations who are look,
ing for their "place in the sum-" anG
these nations believe that the right tc
hold them rests upon 6he preparedness
to defend them.
The question therefore, is, "Shall We
provide forts without guns, guns with
out ammunition, battleships without
IA root nrocfion orfj1larv without 4Lc