Norwich bulletin., 1915-11-11
BELIEVES IN ADEQUATE
 NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS
Rev. c. H. Rieketts Speaks at Y.aM c. A. Shop Meeting at Radiator Plant.

The second Y. M. c. A. shop meet ing of the season at the Richmond Radiator Company's plant was held on Wednesday at noon when Rev. Charles H. Ricketts. pastor of the s7reenevifle CpngreEa ational church, spoke on Pre- paredness.
 The air is full of questions relating to National Preparedness. said Rev. Mir. Ricketts, and there seems to be no difference of opinion on one point, that we are poorly prepared to resist attack. Whether any leading nation wants to fight us or will be likely to want to fight us is a matter on which there Is no general concensus of be- ever nation wins in this present con- fiiet will be Fin no position to forge chains for any other nation for years to come. 'szS
 Two years ago if the question had been asked, Does anybody want to fight us 2" the answer would have been a thunderous mo- But since Europe has reiapsed into medieval barbarisfn we are not quite so sure. It was once the custom to lead captive kings about with hooks in their jaws. As nation shall we sleep while some unfriendly of our industrial plants. our commerce. and, eventually into our country as a whole? And this could easily be done as far as any adequate defense is coh- cerned, The war in Europe has open ed our eyes, to one fact: that the Gold en Rule is not yet the principle that guides international relations. Might still sits on his blood-stained throne.
 Personally. I am a firm believer in a national preparedness that shall be adequate to reasonable defense.
 It is~not necessary that we should be armed to the teeth: tilat we should have a, hurdensome standing arsly ruit- ming into the millions. GOT should be constantly on a war footing. There are reasons = mostly ke0graphicas-- why Germany and Austria should have larger defensive armies than we. There was Q time during the Seven Years war when Frederick the Great was at tackled by every nation that touched his border. The same has been true of Austria and France. What high mountains are to Switzerland, broad seas are to us-naturaI barriers. What we need then is to so fortifX our coast defences that the rlightest nation in the world would think twice before venturing to attack. us. 4~.
 am not here to speak. chiefly of defense against foreign invasion. It is not our leading danger. The $500
 miles of unprotected border between
 us and Canada show that, peace-loving people can live together harmoniouslY without, but from enemies within our own body polite. We must protect
 ourselves from the borers that wors at the heart of the national vine. Are we not indifferent to the work of the corrupt political machine, that makes honest elections impossible? The better element stays away from. the l pqlls--but you can never cure a can cer by letting it alone. Much. might l be said about protecting the family and business integrity. We need pre-
 paredness along this line. ..-.
 MateriaIism as servant is one thing, as a master it is quite another thing. It is against the latter that we need to prepare ourselves both as l a nation and as individuals. I am not I opposed to the almighty dollar as a ] thing in itself have thus far been able to use the few that have come 1 into my hands-but do not like to l see it lifted up to an equality with Al | mighty God. am not opposed tC l moving pictures, the opera and thf production of good plays, but it makes me think seriously when I see how | they and all forms of pleasures are 1 gripping the American people, k 1 there a danger here?
 1 In conclusion Rev. MT. Ricketts spoke | of the greater effort which should bs
 made to induce foreigners to amalga- mate with American people.
 Mrs. L. O.. Potter was the soloist al | the meeting and was accompanied by I Miss Letitia Kramer