The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1915-01-07

l,s wake
II is our privilege. our opportunity
our duty, our high destiny Why moi
grasp Il
But Il is said We need some NOR,
armament for defense Defense
against what II is the old argument
the old sophistry. the old casuistry
DO you know that il Is the very argu
ment and now the only argument used
by Germany for her 'militarism 2
Z "DcfenSer She had to have enough
armament 70 defend herself against
any two nations; that is, she needed q
little more armament than any two OF
them combined. And then France hac
10 have a little more armament thar
I Germany, and any other power com
bined. and then England had TO have
I the same, and SO il went on in an end
I less chain. The argument drawn from
defense" is probably the weakest and
most unimpressiye and most illogical
OF any argument which could be adj
duced. II is the most vicious Of all
vicious circles.
Furthermore, if any argument has
even been thoroughly exploded by
demonstration, and TO tinality, this
war has exploded the argument based
on defense"
Defense" indeed To have an ade-
auate defense We must al least have
enough armament TO defeat the
strongest nation on land and sea, I'M
der all circumstances. That is what
defense means when followed to its
logical conclusion; and that means ten
or dozen times our present equip
ment
Thank God, we are assured that our
people now see the point, and that
they will not brook the pretense nor
entertain the alleged argument" If
they have no other reason than that
they will not endure the useless tax
which it would impose upon them.
But it is said, look at Belgium
If only she had been prepared!
Well, the answer is, that Belgium.
instead Of being an argument for arm
ament, is an argument for just the re-
verse. If Belgium had had no arma-
ment at all, her country would be in
tact today. Her thousands of dead
would be alive and happy. Her people
would not be scattered abroad, and
starving. Her women and children
would not be widowed and orphaned;
/ if she had not been armed, she could
not have resisted; and yet her honor
you'd have been vindicated in the
court of world opinion, and any dam
age which she had suffered would have
been required to be paid by that same
world opinion.
would not have had her yield
without a struggle in defense Of her
honor, but her losses, nevertheless, are
Just in proportion to her power of
resistance. am saying, here, only
that the argument from Belgium is a
broken reed.
If you are aroused at night and
find burglar with revolver at your
head and you have weapon at hand,
and grasp it, you will be shot. II you
were not armed, you would lose your
iewelry, but would not lose your life.
The question here is one Of viewing
| The question her is one of viewing
armament" as a defense" Surely,
| it is not much of an argument which
can be based upon that premise.
Let US have it, then, concretely.
Where do we stand? ! would have
Just soldiery enough for police duty,
and for engineering duty, and for the
duty involved in sanitation, and no
more; and we have more than enough
for those purposes now. To put down
rebellion, to cooperate in the con-
struction of such work as Panama
Canal to keep order in case of strikes
and the like, are the legitimate pro-
vince of an armed force. And in order
that there may be no misrepresentation,
| would say that even though we took
risk, it would be eminently wise, as
it is eminently indicated, that even in
the face of such risk, we should at
this time reduce armament, rather
than increase it, for the sake OF the
world example.
The opportunity will not come
again. 1t is the psychological mo-
ment. No great thing was ever ac-
complished without sacrafice, and a
risk
The sentiment of mankind is against
war. Why not then abandon prepare
tons for war.
The conviction of thoughtful men is
that international disputes should be
settled by international courts. Why
not rest upon that and act as if we
did?
And then the alleged practical men
of affairs" say to me, at is only a
dreamr' So be it! | am dreaming,
and | see in my dream an army OF
Americans, bearing in their hands, not
swords, or rifles, or bombs, but crosses
and olive branches and bread and
bandages, and all sweet charities; and
at the head Of every regimnet a ban
per. And / take account of each regi-
ment, and its banners as they pass.
And the first regiment is a regiment