New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-15


citation Of the generous expressions
contained in your recent message. He
asks me 10 express the hope that the
sions and to bravcly face the facts
which govern the world of to-day TO
realize that the voice Of America will
he given Just that weight and no more
in the councils of nations which il
is entitled by the justice, the temper
Gnce and The willingness to make sac
rfces on our part which lie behind it."
Jacob VI. Dickinson. also former
Secretary Of War, in his address said
II would be the birdest folly for this
country 70 assume that there would be
no more wars.
There may be a condition worse
than war" he said Such a condition
is ahjcct submission to aggression.
Was Belgium wrong to resist invasion,
or should she have supinely submitted?
She paid a fearful penalty for national
Independence. There she stands, the
workable Niohe of nations, more glori-
r''s .0 her desolation than she would
D. II aourishing by the grace Of
fore en- power"
Answering the Charges that there
are deliberate efforts now under wa
for foisting upon this country the same
miltarsm that has been the undoing
OF Europe Judge Dickinson cited our
action toward Cuba, the Philippines
and at Vera Cruz as object lessons Of
pacific purpose, 10 say nothing of our
long record Of efforts for the promo
ton Of peace"
Answers DR.. Butler.
Quoting Or. Nicholas Murray Butler,
l. -. 1 -.
one Of those opposed to agitation for
increased armament and as having
asked "f9r what war and with whom
the country should be prepared, Judge
Dickinson said:
perhaps to-day DR.. Butler can see
that the idea Of our getting into war
is not altogether Chimerical. My an
swer is that We must not prepare for
war with any particular country, but
that we should, until nations change .
their attitude toward war, prepare TO .
resist the unjust agCressions Of any
country. ! say this without regard to I
the present war or present conditions
The speaker referred 10 recent re- .
ports BY Major General WOtherspOon, ,
former Chief Of staff, and Of Secretary
of War Garrison
unless we reject this evidence as
untrustworthy,' he said, "it is perfect /
" patent that so far as our army is .
concerned we are wholly unprepared to .
defend ourselves against invasion by
any first class power.
Without going into detail. we know f.
from recent Investigations which have .
been made public that our navy is not .
up TO the relative standard that II at .
one time occupied and that it is seri !
ously deficient. The fact that it has .
ocODi+tad itcalf in ayary
so as to reflect great honor upon our /
country cannot blind US TO the de-
fciency.
"Wiil our people never learn to treat ,
these questions in terms of sober
earnestness and with realization of .
what is involved? There are no more /
Jerichos to be demolished by blowing /.
of horns.
If these things be militaristic, then
I am militaristic. ! have endeavored /.
to show that the time has not come T.
when we can dispense with armament; /
that at present, without regard to the !
attitude of the warning nations, our |
army and navy defences are wholly in
adequate for war with any first class /
power; that at all times of our his |
tory and especially now. in view OF the .
Developments in the science of war, re- .
lance on new troops for. immediate /
action is folly, and that IL will require /
much time 10 train troops for efficiency |
and TO prepare the material for modern
warfare.
None of these things will set US
against disarmament whenever the ma /
tons can be brought 10 seriously con- /
template IT, A nation that has an .
armament TO abandon will have far |
more potential voice in a council of /
nations considering disarmament than /
one having none to abandon"
Our Honor in Jeopardy.
"The honor and safety Of the United /.
States have been put in jeopardy by
the failure Of our public servants TO /
do their duty in providing adequately /.
for defence in case Of war; SAID /
Charles j. Bonaparte, former Attorney /
General. in his address. He advocated /
that prompt steps be taken to /
strengthen the army and navy, a pro- /.
gramme that must bear fruit to-mor- /
row or the day after not in the distant
days of the dim future"
Mr. Bonaparte strongly urged the i'm.
me date Strengthening Of the United /
States fleet
Colonel Charles c. Lydecker acted as
chairman for the army session in the /.
afternoon and introduced Controller I
Prendergast, who welcomed the dele
gates in the name Of the city. He ex- |
pressed himself as heartily in favor of
more adequate defence and his belief /
that many of the citizens OF New York |
held the same view.
Major George Haven Putnam caused T.
ripple Of .musement by his reference /
10 "the late Mr.. Bryan" and his view
that at a wave Of the hand a million /.
men would spring to arms. unless /
properly trained" he added, "the /.
million would be Of no real service. To .
send unframed men 70 confront skilled I.
soldiers is 10 commit murder" /
Hudson Maxim took for his subject /.
! Our Citizen Soldiery," and began by I
saving that there was no such thing /
"This is an age Of mechanics" he de- |
/ clared. Warfare is an engineering |
proposition, and battles are fought and .
wars won only by highly trained op- .
cratives of highly specialized fighting .
machinery, supported by he artisans f.
i'm the factories Victory now depends /
on labor-saying machinery"
Then he launched forth upon the sub .
ject Of veteran courage, and mentioned F.
the action Of the senior class Of the !
( College Of Liberal Arts. Boston Uni /
versity, who refused 10 accept compli- .
montary copies OF his volume on DE /
/ fenseless America"
you typify certain Glass Of spine /
less jelly hShy persons called pacihstS," /
Mr. Maxim read from his letter Of reply /
4 20 tho atudents "and our couptrv ia /