The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-05-27
NATION MUST ARM,
ASSERTS GARRISON
UNITED STATES MUST BE READY
FOR WAR IN ORDER TO
PRESERVE PEACE.
WEAKNESS NO PROTECTION
Secretary of War, Addressing Arbitra.
ton Conference, Delivers Telling
Blows at Arguments Against
Military Preparedness.

Lake Mohonk, n. Y. May 2I.-The
United States must arm Immediately
if it is to keep its place among the
nations. Secretary of War Lindley NJ.
Garrison told the pacifists gathered
here for the annual conference on in
ternational arbitration, in a brilliant
speech, carefully argued and bristling
with striking epigrams.
He declared the real problem Of
American national defense is to get
the people to look the facts squarely
accomplish anything in arming for the
conflict which is bound to come sooner
or later. We shall be despised among
the nations of the earth and our
righteousness will not save us from
the aggressions of the u%nrighteous if
we remain weak and flabby, he de-
clared. We must be ready to make
war in order to keep the blessings of
peace. Seif-preservation is the first
law of a nation.
Nation Must Be se~lf-respecting
"A nation, 10 deserve preservation,
must be sane, just. righteous, ~self-re-
specting and geous," he contin-
ued. Since it only obtained those
virtues by conflict OF one sort or an
other, it a only retain them and thus
insure its own preservation by being
prepared in every proper way to de-
lend them from the inevitable assaults
which will be made against them.
mo; turning aside won't dot not
only will not prevent the calamity, but
Will also serve to make it's effects more
disastrous if and when it does come.
X we would respect ourselves and de-
serve the respect of others. and have
that courage without which man is
useless, we must not shink from or
shirk our problem because of any of.
its repellent or repulsive features"
Taking Military Precautions.
"A great deal of inattention and
considerable opposition is based upon
he statement and belief that if a ma
ton takes military precautions and
makes military preparation il invites
what it seeks to prevent or repel.
This contention does not seem 10 have
any foundation in reason or in fact.
1t certainly is not Sc in any other like
situation, either in our spiritual or our
physical life. Those who entertain
and give expression to this feeling
would De shocked. | am sure, II a sim
liar attitude to that which they have
in this matter were applied to other
like matters. Does the individual in.
vite evil by preparing himself to with
stand the assaults Of temptation? Does
the citizen invite the c%onfiagation by
preparing a force to %extinguish and
minimize the Results of fire?
No Safety in Weakness.
They, however, who d~eprecate the
taking of these precautions and the
making of these preparations urge
still further opposition somewhat akin
to that just disposed of. They say:
If you are strong enough to fight you
are more likely to fight; or, stated in
the negative, If your nation is not pre-
pared for war, your nation will be less
likely to be involved in war.
THE question is, how do you justi-
fly your trust that other nations which
are strong will refrain from misusing
their strength against us If you fear
that we, IL strong, would misuse our
strength against other nations? There
is no basis for any such unjust an
i~madversion against u nation and