The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-27
Preparedness The
Last Refuge of Avarice

Preparedness, the subject which is
most agitating the Americans at present
might carry more conviction to the indi-
vidual man but for two things, either of
them sufficiently strong to rock the
foundation of this proposition which is
after all, as house built upon the sand.
The first is that for forty years Europe
has been preparing itself against ag-
gression' and has taxed its people to the
utmost for the avowed purpose of keep
ing peace; the German emperor partic-
ularly priding himself upon this atti-
tude.
Germany setting the pace in militar-
ism, every other country followed suit to
the best of its ability, for one purpose
only (the people were led TO believe)
DEFENSE.
What occurred?
AS soon as the height of military or
Ranization and preparedness" had been
achieved, terrible war broke out for
which NO ONE was TO blame and in
which EVERY ONE was on the defen-
sive. This idea was of course necessa-
rily maintained in order to make good to
the people the promises made by the gov
ernments in exchange for the money
they had poured into the treasury to
support this huge fighting machine
For a while the Americans were be-
y wildered by the excuses, the explana-
tions, the white, gray or blue books is
sued by each country to show how it was
\ wholly guiltless and the other side utter
4 " guilty. but they finally sifted down
the material at hand and concluded that
the entire blame lay in the military sys-
tenn, which was maintained, not for de-
tense, as was claimed, but for aggres-
sion to be used at whatever time seemed
favorable to strike blow for aggrand-
Element of some sort. The fact that the
4 war became so wide spread and acute was
due to the alliances which had been pre-
viously entered into for diplomatic and
commercial reasons, loans etc.
All this does not commend mlitarism
or even preparedness to the American
mind.
The second thing is right here, at
4 home The American is easy going and
slow to anger. He allows his substance
\ to be wasted and poured upon the ground
& by politicians, yet he says nothing. He
allows himself to be mis-represented in
\ the state legislature or in Congress and
/, keeps still He knows Of the Hobbies of
4 special interests which are constantly
B working against the good of the country
Tor private corporations and still he pays
his taxes uncomplainingly, BUT it has
all made an impression upon his mind
and when great occasion comes, he
rises in revolt. The accumulation of
many minor wrongs are welded together
N and stand him in good stead against a
big and mighty wrong.
" This is his attitude toward the pre-.
4 paredness which means the building OF
4 huge battleships by private corpora
lions, corporations which have made
q hundreds Of millions of dollars out OF
{ munitions of war sold to Europe anC
would be quite as pleased to make as
much or more out of their own people
4 He knows the nature of the American
money grabber, the man who will not dc
\ the fighting and he is not wild with en-
thusiasm at being made a party to any
ouch arrangement.
He knows that HE must pay for these
treat ships, which could be sunk in few
1noments by torpedoes, and he cannot
80 who would be the gamer but the
Ioresaid steel trusts and corporations.
He Is a hard working. industrious,
zee loving citizen who believes that his
entry has outgrown the feudal age