New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-09-09
ARM FOR DEFENCE
RINGING CALL
TOU.S. BANKERS
Must Be Ready to Resist
Invader, II. D. Estabrook
Tells National Assn.
PEACE AND FUTURE
HAPPINESS AT STAKE
Bryan's Peace Policy Assailed
Before Financiers in Address
on Preparedness for War.

on Preparedness lot wal
Seattle. Sept. s.-The keynote Of ma
tional defence" was sounded before the
fnancicrs Of the country at the first
session to-day Of the annual conven-
ton Of the American Bankers Associa-
ton. Henry D. Estabrook, OF New YORK
City, lawyer and noted as an orator on
political. patriotic and legal topics
stirred tie gathering by ringing call
10 the nation 10 prepare TO resist any
invadjoC foe
Tine Military and Naval Prepared
ness Of the Nation" was Mr. Esta-
brooks subject He sketched the mis-
tory OF the nation and the hopes and
aspirat.,ns OF its founders. reaching a
conclusion that "for the first time IN
history America has proved that the
peoples Of the world left TO their own
devices. and regardless OF nationality
language. creed or need, under the reign
Of edTai laws with no other SOW
ereign.y than their expressed WILL ow
ing allegiance only TO humanity ana
tbemse;ves. may and will live IN peace.
Such a world federation as ours Is the
only hope Of universal peace.
"The bloody, beastly war raging IN
Furope-the outcome OF family feud
among roval kinsmen-is Of no lmme-
diate concern to this country, ne con-
tinued." EXCEPT as some OF the bel!lger-
ents have trampled our rights as heu-
trails. As for these aggresslonS' we
have entered our protest and RECORDED
our resentment. II is hardly probable
that the situation al the worst VIII
involve US in armed conflict, though u
NAV lead 70 repr.-als and demands loI
reparatlon.
America Hope of Humanity.
"Rut is there any magic in the name
.u.ar;ca "a lull passion. lust, greed, or
10 protect US from conquest Ana yeC
America is the best hope OF humanity
Here. If anywhere, IS the Ark OF '!e
Covenant If we fail TO Safeguard ~
,ve are traitors TO our fathers, VINO
-, for il and TO Christ Himself.
who died for il. Every dollar IN our
treasury and every red corpuscle IN
our blood should stand pledged TO us
def.rre We have sworn an oath pc
fore men and angels that no kngly
loot shall ever rankle the clean earth
Of our Western world. DO we propose
10 keep that oath?
"No nation threatens us IN so many
words: but who is oblivious 10 hints
and intimations that speak louder 'hah
words? We boast our strength 10 re-
pel attack when we know we are "eah-
or than dishwater. Nhlle every oIheI
nation has been preparing Tor aegIss-
-,rln we have not made ready even iol
Sofa,ce Is this state Of imbeclity to
endureq Shall we continue to listen TO
1uuDQCfle as our
condition? When this voice was re-
Gently removed from the counsels OF
our government we thought. good easy
eouls. we had gotten rid OF II.
"Has Mr.. Bryan proved himself so
,ood a prophet in the past that we
can afford TO trust him for the future
Won recall what direful things were
sure 10 happen. according 10 MI
prvon. IL this country failed to re-
nrdiate a moiety Of its honest debts
bv Giving to so cents worth OF SILVER
10 magic name Of dollar. Perhaps ne
would contend that the European war
l. tho result of disregardng hlm. fer-
sonallv | have never believed III MI
Rryao's wisdom. and ! grant him SIN
ceritv only because the point Is not
worth arguing. -,..o
Mr.. Bryans policy OF non-resistahGe
rather than a policy Nof alf-prepared-
moss | had rather scrap every gun
and warship we own il we are not 10
add 70 them. For If we were without
strength 10 oppose invasion we could at
ieast claim the privilege Of the weak
ond surrender without loss of life, with
8 moral claim even to the pity OF tAe
invader; whereas. 70 fight inadequately
armed and with a certainty OF losing
would be nothing short of murder Tor
which YOU and | and every taxpayer
in the United States would be measure
bly, responsible.
Perverse Stupidity.
"To say that we are too big or too
rroud TO light in self-defence is, with
I'm respect 10 the estimable but ms,
taken gentleman who said il, absurd
and puerile. To say that mob OF
million or so of unframed cluzenry
would leap 70 arms and put to hIght
the bullet tested soldiery OF ASIA or OF
Europe is worse than puerlle II Is
perverse stupidity. The Vaccinations
against this government at the moment
are more subterranean than submarine.
Our duty is to defend against both. We
are permitted no alternative. We must
forthwith spend money for defence, ana
lcfs Of IT, We must know that we are
safe even from the temptation OF at
tack. Our peace and future happiness
depend upon this assurance.
"The words OF our own Washington
are the words Of a stateman. soldier
ard patriot, and they cannot be re-
peated too often or become too famll-
lar: To prepare for war said he. is
ono Of the most effective ways OF
preserving peace. A free people should
rot only be armed but disciplined. To
that end uniform and well-adjuste
plan is requisite
"A free people. says Washington,
should be armed and disciplined ac-