The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-26
WAKE UP,
After a Year Of the Great Wal We
Are Still U~nprepared.

To THE EDITOR OF II suN-str: On
the first anniversary Of the commence
ment OF a war from the effects OF which
no large countr lie wholly able 20 es-
cane, II was a fair question TO ask our
selves what we had done In these twelve
months for our " security.
One year ago We had an army on
paper OF 1000 0 men. of whom about
10000 were in garrison and perhaps
25,o 0 ready for use here In an emer-
gency as a mobile force. and a navy
containing approximately eleven dread
thoughts (maximum speed Il knots).
twenty-seven pre-dreadnoughts ,some
no in commission). a number OF sub
marines and ff.y-six d~estroyers. includ-
ing six under construction or contracted
for, besides ten armored cruisers.
1t Is now a year since Germany vio-
lated the neutrality of Belgium, and six
months since she declared the war zone
and we warned her that we should hold
hsr to strict accountability" for any
violations Of the rights OF Americans,
Three months ago a German submarine
%torpedoed and sank the Lusitanis, TAX.
ing the lives OF n hundred and thirty
American non-combatant men. women
and children. More recently Germany
replied to a restrained and peaceful
note from us in an unsatisfactory man.
ner. which We have answered in a com
municstion to her which has the ear
marks Of an ultinatum. And, last. the
Arabic is torpedoed with the loss of
American lives. What have we dom
that the normal man Of average prr-
dence would do for his security under
the circumstances?
Neither our army nor our navy has
been increased nor REINFORCED beyond
the ordinary changes OF a peace footing
The great war with its operations In
three continents, and the first year of
II with its losses OF millions OF men. has
been an open lesson on the need OF
trained men in numbers and OF adequate
equipment.
ihA M J" VI Nft
a hundred thousand men. England hal
vastly more equipment and munition,
than we have. Yet Belgium Jas owe
run in weeks, almost days and Eng,
land, a year after the war began. holds
only thirty miles Of a front OF three
hundred.
The ~aeroplane has proved It's value t.
combstants and is seemingly inestmabli
for purposes of acquiring information
Of the enemy's intentions. We rea'
also OF squads OF planes attacking a rail!
road juncture OF an ammunition depot
How many military a~eroplanes have W,
to-day?
We are told that the French CARRIE
the trenches near La Bassee after level
ling them By the concentrated fire OF hun
dreds OF field pieces. Neuve Chappelle
such gain as it was, was rendered pos
sible By artillery. and the strong fort
Of Liege, Namur. Peremysl and Warsav
crumpled under the blows OF howitzers
How many field pieces have we? How
many howitzers?
The military men say that the life ,
IN ordinary rifle In this war is abou
one month. We all know, or can guess
the great expenditure of cartridges b
modern pieces, particularly machin
guns. What rifles have we in our ar
senals? What cartridges? How man,
machine guns? Do the big guns on on
ships shoot as far as those on the Queel
Elizabeth? Where are the auXillarie
OF our navy? Where are the America
submarines?
The average American, whenever al
tention Is directed to these questions, ha
two thoughts: He says. II don't thin
wen have a war" Let me ask him
zone year ago on June /, did any OF u
mink the great war was a possibility ?
tut he comforts himself with the secon
thought Of three thousand miles OF ocea
on one front and six on the other. Y.
the Allies have more tina one hundre
thousand men at the D~ardanelles, thr,
thousand miles by water from Englan,
lnuld' III the Itulolt East, anu IN mo
days around the Cape OF Good Hop
with a population far IN excess OF our
many OF whom were and always ha
been excellent fighters, succumbed
England, 1t was a rich prize. But !
rich prize has ever awaited the lu
OF the mighty comparable 10 our und
Tended country, The doubter says, "
will not happen" With a delightful IL
genuousness like unto the ostrich /
burIes his head and refuses 10 believe
the possibilities OF danger.
You hear often the statement tn
when the war is over in Europe Il
belligeronts viii be too exhausted to ng
Elsewhere. But that is no the less,
o. history The French evacuated Me
ice a. the close OF the civil war bccau
the Union moved It's veteran troo