The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-11-25
Claude Kitchia's Statement Gu the
Nations Pssparedness---He
Gives Facts
4. The big, overreaehiilg objec-
ton TO the program:
Continued from page one)

sAOI1 ~ liiC PIOSl d11.
The huge burden, heretofore
unheard Of or undreaned of,
| which this fabulous increase OF
appropriations for the Army and
Navy will place upon the tax-pay
ers can, and will have to be borne,
IN spite Of their murn3urs and
protests, which will surely come
III the future. This of itself tC
me is a cruel wrong, especially
under the conditions and Situa-
ton OF our country and our Navy.
as | have above outlined.
But the big, Overreaching OBJ
lection to this stupendous pro
gram is that this sudden, radical
and revolutionary move for big
war preparation on our. part is
going to shock the civilized world
and whatever be the outcome of
the present war, will alarm the
world again into an armed camp.
1t will postpone for generations
the day Of universal peace for
which all Christendom has been
praying. 1t will deprive this
Government, through it's Presi-
dent, Of the greatest opportunity
to serve mankind that ever came
to nation or to man, III the final
negotiation Of peace terms among
the belligerents, to lay the basis
OF perpetual international peace.
The militaristS and war trafHck
ers Of every nation in the world
will point TO our conduct as an
example and a cause why big war
preparations and big ornaments
should be renewed on a larger
scale than ever before and it's
contamination will only be limit
ed by the ability Of the nations
appealed TO- If we take this
step every nation will suspect
in fact, every nation will
feel convinced, and no argument
OF our Government can dissiDate
such co1lVlctlon-th that our coun-
try IN this tremendous step has
other designs than mere self-de-
Tense. Every nation will abso-
luteiy know that no such step or
measure is necessary. The
world will be convinced, in spite
OF our protestations, that we are
preparing, as the Seven Seas
Magazine, the organ Of the Navy
League, declared in It's last issue
that we should prepare for
WARS OF CONQUEST. " This
organ Of this SO sc-called patri-
otto society in it's same issue bold
~ broadcasts throughout our
country the savage, barbarous
sentiment which [ quote: There
should be NO DOUBT THAT
EVEN WITH ALL POSSIBLE
MORAL REFINEA1ErNJyIS IT IS
THE ABSOLUTE RIGHT Of a
nation to live to it's fullest intensi-
ty, TO expand, TO FOUND COL
ONLES, TO GET RICHER AND
RICHER BY ANY PROPER
MEANS, SUCH AS ARMED
CONQUEST. Such expansion
AS Az AIM IS AN INALIEN.A-
BILE RIGHT ard IN THE CASE
OF THE UNITED STATES IT
IS A PARTICULAR DUTY. -
This organ Of the Navy League.
the organization, as [ said be
fore, which has, by organized
effort, created the sentiment Of
our people for a big militarisln
and navaiism, is but giving the
people OF this country and Of the
world an earnest of what we are
to expect when this program is
enacted into law.
The world, even among the
bellgerends Of the present war.
is already looking with grave sus-
plclon and alarm upon this colos
sal step. Since writing the
above, in confirm alton Of it, the
morning papers bring to us the
speech OF Lord Rosebery, made
at the London University on the
night Of November the 10th.
from which [ quote: II know
nothing more disheartening than
the announcement recently made
that the United States the one
great country left in the world
Tree from the hideous, bloody
burden Of warts about to EN-
BARK UPON THE BUILDING
Of 4 HUGE ARMADA TT
MEANS THAT THE BURDEN
" IL Il CONTINUE UPON THE
NATIONS, and BE IN
Gl<llAS SEQ EXACTLY IN PRO
PORTION TO THE FLEET OF
ME UNITED STATES. I con
tess that it is a disheartening
prospect that the United States,
50 remote from European con
net, should voluntarily in these
lays take UP the burden. which,
alter this war, will be found 10 |
nave broken, or almost broken. |
Dur backs.''
). As to the fears of our people:
In the Eope Of a4laying to some
the alarmed state Of mind
'nd the fears Of our people, pro
'oked by the European war. and
aggravated and intensified by the