Evening star., 1915-12-10

couched In such euphonious language.
tscrupuiousiy correct English and orna-
wifh wsn.ed ans with nra. rare figures Of speech.
erence to. rural credits. there is not
!note OF real sympathy for the toiling
! ssmiilons nor ray of hope to lead to
Detser Things for that large and re-
who are today overwhelmed with pow
erty, even almost to despair. We are in no
oanSer OF being attacked by any for
eign Zoe. said the President
Ihen IN the name of God and hui
manity, why cannot this policy Of pre-
paredness' be postponed until we have
made an effort to lead the world back into
the paths of peace and render unnecessary
preparedness" Why impose this addition
toiler when it is possible that the ma
tions OF the earth might be induced to
get along without the burden altogether?
why commit our government to a policy
which viii render it morally impotent in
any efforts to bring the world to dis
armament?
Loss Of Great Opportunity.
IF we shall follow the President in
this matter, the government Of the United
States will lose q great opportunity to
serve humanity, an opportunity which
seldom comes to a great people. I have
over the depauperated peoples Of Europe
will be glad to throw of the burden OF
preparedness and instead of devoting
the products Of their toll to the main
tenance Of armies and navies-those per-
|nicious economic parasites who live on
the products Of honest toil-and devote
the fruits of their labors to the upbuild-
ing OF the waste places in their respective
countries for the education and ameliora-
ton of the conditions Of their people and
the uplift Of humanity generally.
"Those people will be tired Of war, and
if they are true to themselves, as 1 am
sure they will be, they will punish con-
Edignly the ambitious and conscienceless
rulers who lead them into the vortex of
death. If the advice and good offices of
our government for the promotion Of in
ternatiunal peace shall be rejected by the
nations of Europe, we shall have ample
time then to make all necessary prepara-
ton, If. indeed, it shall be necessary at
all.
"If the world is to be ruled in the fu-
ture by the arbitrament of the sword
II the umpirage Of reason shall be dis
placed by the law of might, then the
United States will be in condition to
build a dozen battleships where the ma
tions Of Europe cannot build one: we will
be able to organize and maintain a. dozen
regiments where the impoverished coun-
tries of Europe would not be able to or
ganize and maintain one. / would sug-
rushing into this preparedness business 1t
might profit by the White Houses ex-
ample and do little 'watchful waiting.
There is no necessity for haste-there is
every prospect. however. OF good to be
derived from waiting. and moving eau
tiously In this terrible matter"
When asked what he thought Of the
method Of raising the necessary revenue,
Senator .Vardaman said:
II do not care to go that far yet
ut D,,t xuyf1 ~ q
Of the south whom I have the honor
to represent in part in the Senate are
not in a condition to Justify an in
crease in taxation. The loss OF three
quarters of billion dollars on the
last two crops of cotton on account OF
the war and neglect on the part Of
our own government has reduced our
people to a condition which they have
not suffered for many years. But the
southern people are optimistic. patient.
brave and long suffering. They have
accepted the inevitable with a smile.
But they are not in favor of any more
taxation now. and present conditions
will not justify their senator's and rep
resentatives in Congress in imposing
any additional burden upon them.
II do not think twenty per cent OF the
people of the south are in favor Of the
Presidents preparedness scheme. II it
were submitted to vote OF the white
people Of Mississippi it would not get
enough votes to I'LL President Wilson s
large hat.
"The advocates OF preparedness are
working industriously in some Of the
towns of Mississippi-all sorts of
schemes are being devised to mislead
the people and obscure the truth. But
their efforts will avail little. The ripple
on the surface Of public thought which
they cause will NOT affect to any ex-
tent the depth of popular conviction
and sense of patriotic duty"