Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-06-01

and righteousness contend in the in
dividual, in the village, in the city
and the state, they also contend In
the nation and between nations as
well. So that, we are driven to this
position. If we need to safeguard the
individual, the village. the city and
the state. certainly we have need to
do as much for the nation, for 1t is
controlled by the same elements OF
life and purpose.
For Army and Navy.
"You observe, therefore, am for
the army and navy. Not that am
pugnacious. | am not. Not that l
would arm my country to fight or for
fight. | would not. But rather for
protection from the fellow who would
and will. I once had a neighbor who
was a peaceful man, so peaceful in
| fact, that he come to believe all men
to be honest and trustworthy. This
man refused to lock his doors at
night. Well, 1t did look like pretty
| little thing to do. To have such con.
| f1dence in ones fellows was beauti-
| full, to say the least. Sometimes I felt
ashamed Of myself to think that / was
/ driven to lock my doors. Thus it went
; on until, finally, some lawless sneak
thief discovered the unlocked door
and entered. Put over against this
another suggestion which I saw in a
picture. 1t was the picture of large
mastiff lying with his two front paws
extended in front of him, between the
extended paws snuggled a cat, just
outside the little circle made by the
extended paws stood two ours watch
! ing the cat. But the great, noble look
ling protector looked calm in his
strength, the cat rested easy in the
safe place. while the ours did not
dare. say it pays to be able. With
conditions as they are, and are likely
to be indefinitely, that nation is wise,
| l think, that prepares for war in time
of peace For, it now appears that
the best way to command respect and
have peace is to be ready to protect
ones self against any emergency.
All Were Not Ready.
What better proof need We than
that which lies before us at this mo-
ment? If all the nations now involved
In that dreadful carnage across the
sea had been sufficiently prepared,
there would have been no war, I am
convinced. War, in these conditions,
would have been too awful to contem-
plate, 1t would have been unthinkable.
The probable outcome Of the war rest
ed In the fact that some were not pre-
pared to fight, and that others would
not. But blunders were made and
plans miscarried, with the result that
there was brought about the most
damnable, senseless and cruel war
this world knows anything about. And
this, too, mark you, in the midst of
the most far reaching and comprehen-
|sive peace proposals ever attempted
hitherto. Never, in all the history OF
Christian progress, were we so con-
fident Of universal peace as we were
that day when, with his mighty le-
gions, the kaiser of all the Germans
assayed to enter France and on to
Paris, which resulted in the bloodiest,
the most senseless and the most dis
graceful war this old world has even
known. But, sirs war, too, that has
brought us its message in some re-
markable and invaluable lessons. 1t
has taught us that ambition is heart.
less, that war is inevitable, that neu-
trality is vulnerable, a mere scrap of
paper that unpreparedness is imbecil-
ity, and that America cannot always
expect to escape her share Of the
worlds conflicts.
Nation In Danger.
~ am no prophet and must not as
sumo the role today, but l shall ven-
ture this word No nation, anywhere
under the blue DOME is more threat
ened with war than Is our own coun-
try. In the very nature of things she
is exposed to the dilemma of war at
any moment. You talk with the best
men yonder on the Pacific coast.
You study the elements that are In.
volved in the Mexican situation. You
recall the close proximity Of Canada
and her relation to England, and Eng
lands relation to all Europe, and you
are face to face with fact that has
meaning. It is rank folly for us to
find comfort in the thought that war
between Canada and America cannot
be- So declared King George " OF
England and the kaiser when with
clasped hands and earnest words they
kneeled beside the casket of King Ed
u
ship But they we're mistaken. Then
add to this our relation to Cuba and
South America and the commerce Of
the world, and it will be pretty diff
cult to satisfy yourself that America
will war no more There Is but one
possible chance, indeed, for us to avoid
war, and that is by being so prepared
for war that our foe will not dare to
provoke us to fighting anger. Sirs, |
repeat We need not arm to fight, but
only to protect our honor. Mark you,
had Italy been on the side of Ger
many, rather than with France In this
present war, our note to Germany
would have been without worth or ef-
feet. Why? Why simply because
we are absolutely without power to
push our claims or to enforce our
demands.
But someone will say that such
stand is repugnant to the spirit OF
America. We are peace loving peo-
pie and do not want 1t otherwise. |
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