Newark post., 1915-02-10

/ Slderatlon. They are, as many
Americans, after business profits,
and if the preaching of the doc
trines of war pays they will use
their great influence upon public
opinion, through the press, to fill
their private Golfers. There are
more of them in the aggregate than
one generally recognizes.
/ The third class is made up of
men who are open to conviction
and will ultimately determine the
question. The following considera-
tions may appeal to some of them:
/ 1t is not likely that any of the
nations now at war in Europe will
be ready to attack the United States
for several decades. In the mean
time any guns or gunboats we
choose to make will be antiquated
and a dead loss. These nations,
let the war eventuate as it will, will
be burdened with fearful taxes,
with crippled industries, with abun-
dant memories of the horrors of the
battlefield and the suffering of the
non-combatant part of the popula-
ton. Nothing but the most flag
rant attack by US, or a combina-
ton of conditions which no one can
forsee, could induce one or a group
of them to enter upon the tremen-
dously expensive and probably un-
certain and improbable task of an
expedition against the United
States. For a hundred years, ex-
cept for the farcical Spanish naval
journey to the West Indies, there
has been no attack, and during the
most of this time our preparations
have been far less adequate than
now.
Nor is there any more danger
from Japan. Everyone who has
felt the temper of the japanese
government and people is sure that
neither interest nor desire exists
for an American war. war which
would be without prospect of final
success and would break them down
with financial burdens they are in
no condition to stand. If we would
bring half the thought and inhu-
ence to bear on our government to
make it absolutely just and gener-
Gus IN our treatment of other ma
tlons, that some of us spend in
fearful anticipations of what will
never come, we will be immune
from war for generation ahead.
These considerations might induce
us at least to postpone our great
expenditures till the lessons and
the results of the present war are
more closely seen.
Again if we, as we hope, shall
some time in the near future be
able to act as mediator and peace
maker among the warning nations,
we must approach the issue with
clean hands and free from the sus-
picion of Interior motives. We
must say to them in a voice which
they will respect, that we have
nothing to gain from them in the
way of territory or national privil-
eges. We have only little army
for police purposes and a navy not
strong enough for aggression. We
have made no preparations to grasp
anything for ourselves. We should
if they wish, willingly act as arbiter
or simply provide the machinery
for their own negotiations. We
want, for the good of all, peace re-
stored on a satisfactory, perma-
nent basis, and we hope to gain for
ourselves nothing but our share of
the blessings which will follow this
consumation. Only in this way
can we do our duty.
If we begin to arm because we
are behind in the race for arma-
ments there is no end to the process
except a great war With every
increase abroad there will be a new
cry for new appropriations here. |
The burden of taxation, now al |