The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-21
SEC. GARRISON NOT
FOR DISARMAMENT
United States Secretary of War Believes
That American People Should Look
the Issue Squarely in the
Face

the Issue Squarely in the
Face.
Mohonk Lake, n. ", May 2l.-Bcfore
a distinguished gathering of workers for
international peace, Lindley NJ. Garrison
secretary OF war, delivered an address
here yesterday advocating immediate and
fearless consideration of the problem of
national defense. The occasion was the
I2lst annual meeting OF the Lake Mohonk
conference on International Arbitration.
Il can and do entirely sympathize with
every sane and sensible movement which
peace" said Secretary Garrison; but /
am utterly out OF sympathy with the
idea that we should II glect or postpone
consideration Of what is now the exist
! ing condition, because Of hope or be.
lief or even conviction that it may be al
tered, even radically altered in the fu.
ture"
| Such "A great epochal event as the es-
] tablishment of an international tribunal
or the limitation of armament, Mr.. Garri-
son said. could only be brought about "by
those who are strong, courageous, self
respecting and righteous; by those who
look facts fearlessly in the face and act
accordingly; by those whose conduct is
guided by reason and Judgment If wei
are nation possessing these characters
ties, he declared then we will fearessly
and courageously take up the present
problem which it is our duty to deter
mine, and will determine it properly and
be prepared in the proper way and with
the proper spirit for what may come
hereafter"
The secretary OF war made no direct I
reference to the present European con
fiict. He said that he purposely RETAINED
from discussing tbs defense policy which
should be adopted and the details which
must be carried out to make that policy
effective. He urged his audience not to
shrink from consideration of the problem
and not to permit themselves to be di
verified by terms OF opprobium" Mill
t8rism." he said, 'is used as term of
reproach to divert proper consideration
of what must be considered if the sub
icct is to be considered at all. Miitar-
ISM in the sense OF having the military
force interfere in the slightest with thei
conduct of our government by our au- /,
tbortes, is not conceivable in this coun-
try. Militarism in the sense OF the alb .
soute necessity of proper military pre-
cautions and military preparations. is
the very subject matter for considera :
- i 80
and it needs stout hearts and
sound minds to decide it. We are surely
not so much deluded as to believe that q
we can reach by intuition what Others !,
an only acquire by training and expert
.nce. We are surely not so sacrilegious
n irreverent as TO believe that Provi
lence has uniustly Disseminated in our a
ayor and against other people OF the
world"
Secretary Garrison laid down as his
first and indisputsbe premise" that :,
elf-preseryation is the first law of a ma
ion. The second premise was that "a z
alton To deserve preservation must be
ane. just. righteous, self-rcspecting and y
Since these virtues he
aid were obtained only by conflict they .
ould be retained only by being prepared .
o defend them from inevitable assaults. y
Ie took issue with the belief that il y
alton takes military precaution il in =
ties what il seeks to prevent or repel. y
"They. however. who deprecate the tax e
~ of these precautions aud the making u
these preparations he went on. urge a.
till further opposition somewhat akin .
D that just disposed of. They say: III
on are strong enough 20 fight. you are !,
lore likely TO fight or stated in the -
egstiyc, IL your nation is not prepared !"
,r war. your nation will be less likely ~
!, be involved in war ~
ITO be perfectly frank, ! cannot per va
i've the slightest basis in reason or fact on
II such a contention. viewing il solely w
om the negative side, without now adj 60
.rtng TO the Affirmative side. which this OF
,sition absolutely neglects. I"
Whereabouts in the realms Of spirit OF
II OF physical life do those who urge We
lis contention find any basis for its We
undnessf DO the things which we call CIV
IL refrain from assaulting the weak
. fabby and the feeblc9 In the physi- sic
! sphere. where and when has feeble &c
- and weakness acted as shield and thl
bucklerg Where in the history Of ma al
ms do We find The strong staying IT, inc