The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1915-08-13
MARYLAND SPEAKS FOR
NATIONAL DEFENSE
League Declares for Armed Prepared
ness in Ringing Declaration.

pie OF Maryland mas been puDlSned
by the Maryland League for National
Defense, which is headed by business
and professional men of all parties and
which was organized at meeting of
more than 200 representative men of
Baltimore:
The war in which all the principal
nations of the Old World are now en-
gagged is without a parallel in history.
The military and naval forces on
each side are vastly greater than any
that ever before faced each other in
battle on this planet.
The victor in this great conflict will,
or at any rate may, possess power of
offense so great as to place any coun-
try which is not i'll a condition or rea-
Sonable preparedness against war en-
tirely at his mercy.
1t is not impo ssible to forsee with
any confidence what the feelings of
that victor may be toward the United
States of America
Up to the present time the govern
ment of this country has exerted its
every effort to maintain an attitude of
strict neutrality. We have manifested
entire impartiality in our dealings with
the contending powers, and yet it
must be evident to all that we have
not succeeded in avoiding the arous-
ing of some very fierce antagonisms.
The truth is that in conflict like
this the neutral has no friends 1t is
impossible for him to have any.
This is not war between monarch
les or governments. 1t is war be-
tween peoples, in which the whole
people on each side believe themselves
to be fighting for a just cause, for
their dearest rights, and indeed for
their very national existence.
One side believes that it is fighting
for the freedom of the seas" and that
we who have heretofore so often pro-
claimed ourselves the champion of
that freedom, ought to now to be on
that side.
The other side believes that it is
fighting for the freedom Of mankind,
for the preservation of civilization and
the prevention of a return to methods
of barbarism in war-that it is fight
ing our battle and that we are false
TO our highest duty to humanity in
not coming to the rescue.
Under such circumstances, the more
strictly we preserve neutrality the
more likely we are to have the ill-will
of the conqueror in the European
struggle, whoever he may be.
1t requires nothing but the exercise
OF the most ordinary common sense to
see that we ought to be prepared to
defend ourselves, if necessary, against
the great power which we shall thus
have aroused to anger against us.
The fact that it will not have been
our fault furnishes no guarantee
whatever of immunity from attack.
To illustrate: In the year 1905 Ma
poleon entered upon his celebrated
campaign against Austria and Russia,
which resulted in the complete over
throw of the combined power of those
allies in the browning victory of Aus
terlitz.
During that war the kingdom of
Prussia remained absolutely neutral
neutral but prepared-unprepa
at any rate, for the tremendous attack
which was made upon her by the vic
tor OF Austerlitz in the following year.
The attack resulted in the annihila-
ton of the Prussian military power at
Jena, the dismembermen of the king
dom, the loss of one-half of its terri
tory and the subsection of the re-
mainder to the condition of a depend
ency OF France, a condition in which
1t remained for seven years.
he idea that we can be assured of
having peace by remaining peaceful
ourselves and unprepared for defense
has no warrant whatever in human
history.
1t requires two to make peace; it
needs only one to make war.
We cannot have peace at any price
II the opposite party does not choose
to name price.
He may prefer war at any price and
refuse to give us the option.
All military and naval authorities
concur in the opinion that the United
States at this time is not prepared to
defend itself against an attack by any
hrst-lass power. That it ought to be
so prepared is proposition which
would seem to be too plain for argu-
ment.
In order to be SO prepared it will
not be necessary, according to the
opinion of the most competent ex-
perts, to establish or maintain a stand
ing army of dangerous size or to in
crease to any material degree the bur
den of taxation.
1t has been demonstrated that If the
money which we are already spending
upon our army and navy were applied
as judiciously as that which is now
spent upon the armies and navies of
France, Germany and England. we
could have all the naval and military
equipments which we require at very
little additional expense.
A definite military or naval policy |
should be decided upon and put into
force without delay
Our standing army should be of |
such size as those most competent to s
judge such matters advise to be es-
sential for our safety, when taken in
connection with the proper system of |