The copper era and Morenci leader., 1915-05-14


is gratifying to see how generally the
country appreciates this, and to note
the confidence displayed everywhere
in his wisdom, sincerity and courage
to adopt and adhere to the laws his
Judgment and conscience shall die
tate. (Applause.
But let me also remind ~ou
that other things are happening in
our world of possibly greater signifi-
Icance to America than the European
war. Significant because they have
to do with the two great policies to
which our nation is definitely commit
ted.
Z neg students hoVe doubtless learL-
ed something of the history and mean
ing of the Monroe doctrine " In the
course of century it has come to
mean, proudly speaking, that Ameri-
can influence shall be paramount in
the three America's That the Unit
ed States shall stand to the other
American Republics as sort of elder
brother to protect them against Euro
pean aggression and to some extent
against themselves. AS a correllary
of the Monroe doctrine we are begin
ming to realize the duty of effectively
policing the western hemisphere, for
if we are not to suffer European pow
ers to dnterefere in Central or
South American affairs then we may
rightly be held to have assumed
responsibility for the conduct of
these republics to the extent, at least,
that such conduct may affect the in
terests of such powers or the rights
of their citizens. We may, as we
have succeeded thus far in doing, put
off the evil day, but unless a miracle
shall soon happen and strong man
11o ~ hoI dor
government and law to unhappy
Mexico, Intervention is bound to
come, peaceably, I hope, but force
full if necessary.
1t is now but a little more than fifty
years since Comodore Perry paid his
memorable visit to the hermit ma
tion," and opened its ports for the
first time to the commerce of the,
world. Japan is now a great world
power, able to compete on even
terms with the most advanced nations
ity, and yet her career has seemingly
just begun. China, heavy eyed
with the sleep of centuries, is stirring
but not fully awake to the dawn that
is breaking in the east In the
memory of almost the youngest per
son present, the ancient Manchu Dy
nasty has been overthrown and
republic established in it's place.
China is, however, republic only in.
name. The mass of the Chinese re-
main ignorant or Indifferent to what
is happening in Peking or elsewhere
for. that matter.
Someone will ask how does this con-
cern' us-and this brings me to the
second of our national policies. We
have had some very great men at the
head of our state department, but
none greater than John Hay. Fifteen
years ago while Secretary of State, he
declared for the principle of the "open
door, in China, which meant that the
markets of China must be kept open
to the trade and commerce of all ma
tions upon equal terms. and that to
insure this the territorial integrity of
China must be maintained. am an
unofficial person and therefore free to
sneak my mind Whatever may be
the present good intentions of the
Japanese government as to the con-
tinuance of the policies of the open
door, this policy will be changed over
night whenever the time shall be ripe
for 1t, unless America shall be strong
enough and resolute enough to in
force it's continuance. And now
shall come to the solemn question,
in view of the international problems
that confront us east, west and south,
what should be the attitude of Amerf-
ca in this matter of militarism.
Shall we continue in the same old
purposeless way OF spending a rela-
lively large sum annually on a rela-
lively Insignificant army-an army so
small and badly armed that even If
united it could not possibly prevent
an invasion east or west, or shall we
reverse this policy and create an army
commensurate with our military
needs? The answer is obvious. Either
we must give up the Monroe doctrine,
abandon the open door policy; cease
any pretentfons to be a world power.
or we must follow the examples Of
other powers and put ourselves in a
position to enforce our just demands,
even at the risk of war. Better war
in my judgment with all dts horrors
than loss of national self-respect.
Better defeat even than a base s1lr-
render of rights Under compulsion.
The cost of peace may be even
greater than the cost of war as has
been demonstrated over and over
again in history. 1t is no answer to
this to say that to be armed is to
invite attack. That presupposes
that nations are so chivalrous as nev-
er to make war on the weak but al
ways on the strong.
= 1 wish 1 could see in the end of the
European war an end of militarism.
But my friends militarism will not
end with the war. Deplore this as
you may and should These young men
and women may live long enough to
see the nations turning their swords
into plow shares and their spears into
pruning hooks but we whose expec-
fancy of life is not so great will
doubtless never see the coming of that
great day.
This may seem to some of you an
unusual subject for a school address
and perhaps it is. But my excuse for
it is that it is a vitally press
ing question and its proper solution