New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-25
THE UTOPIAN VIEW
A Reader Who Thinks Preparation for
War Prevents Peace.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Readers of The Independent
Of the issue Of January noticed the
article by Theodore Roosevelt, Utopia
or He'll
II is great pity that former Pres
ident of the United States, one whom
We once learned 10 respect and upon
whom we felt that we could rely,
should fall 70 growing in such terms
a he expresses in this writing
In it he calls for peace in no un-
mistakable terms, and demands that
Righteousness shall govern the world
and that back Of the call our nation shall
stand with every implement of de-
struction that art and cunning can de-
wise to destroy human life to en-
force it, He says that his plan Is
Utopian as regards arbitration meas
ures, he rails at the worthless" peace
societies, accuses the nation OF bad
faith" and Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Bryan
with forsakng the cause OF peace, and
yet he himself would promote that
same cause by making war. More
over. he knows on whom he would
make the war, and does not hesitate
TO state il.
Such philosophy as this deserves TO
be denounced wherever II is met with.
It is mischievous in the extreme, in
that it is pronounced with high sound
ing words by one whose prestige, al
though furnished, still holds great in
fluence among many people. The
theory of getting the nations of the
earth together upon footing OF agree
ment by means of shooting them TO
death if they do not agree is an abb
surdty. We will never kill war with
war, and We must know that by this
time, after experimenting on that
theory for some thousands of years
past. The game of the navy is es-
pecially in point as an example OF the
fallacy of that idea, for the navy itself
is weapon offensive and not de-
fensive; aggressive action is the law
of its being. If Roosevelt or any one
else wants an increased navy let him
out and say il, but say il truly. that
the reason is that we may take the
command of the sea, which means war
as soon as the navy is strong enough,
and not be hiding behind the cloak OF
peace and righteousness and such
sacred words with which to mislead
the weak and the blind.
Mr. Roosevelt of all persons has had
the most opportunity 10 know and 70
Judge Of the trend Of affairs, of how
war plays into the hands of monopo-
lies and vested interests, and works its
hardest effects upon those least able
10 bear them, and yet he Will appear
in print time after time with this same
argument.
Watchful waiting may be bit trying
20 some of US who are impatient TO
have better understanding among
civilized nations, but at least IL is a
civilized method and it has this virtue,
that il reduces the inevitable suffering
which must be experienced IN the pres
ent unsettled state of affairs 70 a
minimum.
II is deeply 20 be regretted that just
al this time there should have been a
scare cry purporting TO be a virtuols
expose Of the true condition of TN
preparedness against attack OF our
country in Congress. II the conditions
are true they could easily have been
repaired without sensational publicity
and without the humiliation which we
now feel on account OF the exposure
before foreign and uninterested ma
tions. IL is like a family affair aired
in court.
Let this be remembered: that the
impression of our weakness is not quite
justified. in spite of reports. Before
the present war began our navy stood
third in built tonnage, followed by
France as fourth. among world navles
France at that time had more tonnage
in process of building than the United
States, which would have brought her
TO third place upon the completion OF
her programme Since that time our
tonnage has not been reduced, and II
there is lack Of men in the service
the fault must lie with the recruiting
Office and not with our representatives