The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1915-04-16
Why We Should Not Increase Our
Armaments.

nIhk0AuCAIbSs
Extracts from an article by Isaac
Sharpless, president Haverford College;
There are various reasons why the
United States should not contract the
disease of large armaments. It is con.
tagious disease and one with which the
news of the present day infects certain
classes of our citizens.
These classes are composed of ~ those
who are connected with the army or
navy, who give their time and scientific
knowledge to the study of the past and
future of war; (a) those who directly, OF
at second hand, expect to profit CONNER
cially by war or an armed peace, and
al those honest patriots who really be-
lieve the various stories of expected at
tacks upon our national integrity or pros
perity induced by the avarice of other
nations.
The first class is happily small, due te
our peaceful traditions Its members are,
however. active and, in proportion to
their numbers, influential. They have
developed their subject into one of con
siderable interest and scientific expan.
sion. They are intelligent and mostly
sincere and patriotic. The second class
need have little consideration. They are,
as many Americans, after business profits,
and if the preaching of the doctrines Of
war pays they will use their great influ.
ence upon public opinion, through the
press, to Fill their private Golfers. There
are more of them in the aggregate than
one generally recognizes.
The third class is made up of men who
are open to conviction and will ultimately
determine the question. The following
considerations may appeal to some OF
them: 1T is not likely that any of the
nations now at war in Europe will be
ready to attack the United States for sew
eral decades. In the meantime amp guns
or gunboats we choose to make will be
antiquated and a dead loss. These ma
tions, let the war eventuate as it will, will
be burdened with fearful taxes, with
crippled industries, with abundant mem.
cries of the horrors of The battlefield and
the suffering of the non combatant part
ofthe population. Nothing but the mosi
fragrant attack by us, or combination
of conditions which no one can foresee,
could induce one or group of them tc
enter upon the tremendously expensive
and probably uncertain and improbable
task Of an expedition against the United
] States. For hundred years. except fol
the farcical Spanish naval journey to the
West Indies. there has been no attack
and during the most of this time oul
preparations have been far less adequate
than now.
Nor is there any more danger from
Japan. Everyone who has felt the tenn
per of the Japanese government and PEG
pie Is sure that neither interest nor desire
exists for an American war. war which
would be without prospect of final sue
cess and would break them down with
financial burdens they are in no condi
ton to stand.
Again if we, as we hope. shall some
time in the near future be able to act as 9
mediator and peacemaker among the
warning nations. we must approach the
issue with clean hands and free from the
suspicion of Interior motives.
We want, for the good of all, peace
restored on satisfactory, permanent
basis, and we hope to gain for ourselves
nothing but our share of the blessing.
which will follow this contamination.
If we begin to arm because we are be
hind in the race for ornaments there i:
no end to the process except great war.
With every increase abroad there will bs
a new cry for new appropriations here
The burden of taxation, now already
being severely felt in certain quarters
will grow by leaps Now two-thirds Of
our national expenditures go to warlike
purposes, including pensions. This vasI
sum will be increased much more rapidly
than our resources, and either added
taxes or the withdrawal of aid from inter.
nal Developments will follow. How much
wiser to make our potential resources OF
use to our people and the world, food and
clothing cheaper, wages better and more
homes happy, than to 60 into this unpro-
ductive venture, which, as present con
ditions show, always ends IN war!
Armaments mean war. Dependence
upon justice means peace and we shall
reap as we SOW.