Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-06-15

1t would be the blindest fol-
ly for this country to regulate
its conduct upon the assumption
that there will be no more wars or
intrust its destiny to any temporal
power but it's own, said Jacob, NJ. Dick
inson. fsuDer secretary Of war, in an
address Mere tonight, advocating bet
ter military and naval preparedness.
At present. he said, the army and navy
defenses of the United States were
wholly Inadequate for war with any
first class power. He added that the
idea Of our getting into war is not al
together chimerical.'
Judge Dickinson was a speaker at a
mass meeting in Carnegie hall of the
Peace and Preparation Conference. in
session here today and tomorrow, I'M
der the auspices of the National Sc
curity League.
Whatever We may think of wars
their injustice, or their folly" he said.
when we know that there have been
but few periods throughout the CEN
turtles when they did not exist. when
we know that within our short national
life we have had but few decades
without war of some kind and four
wars with foreign countries. and when
we have before us the spectacle of the
greatest, bloodiest and most destruc-
tive war ever known since time began.
it would be the blindest folly for US to
regulate our conduct upon the assump-
ton that there will be noa more wars.
1t would be but little consolation to us
II proceeding on such theory and suf-
ferlng disaster we could commend our
selves for being guided by humani-
tartan views in advance of our time.
Answering the charges that there
are deliberate efforts now under way
Tor folstlng upon this country the same
mliitarism that has been the undoing
OF Europe" Judge Dickinson cited our
action toward Cuba. the Philippines
and at Vera Cruz as object lessons of
pacific purpose, to say nothing of our
long record Of efforts for the promotion
of peace"
Must we stop talking altogether
about armament and preparedness and
avoid all steps in that direction for
rear of alarming Europe" he asked.
Inc Keynote of much pacifist propa-
ganda is that self preservation is not
the final law for nations, nor for in
dIviduals. and that the progress of
humanity may demand the extinction
OF the individual. and also the example
ana the inspiration Of a martyr nation.
what the future may bring we do not
know. but we do know that hitherto
the history of nations has been such
tnat We can entrust our destiny to no
temporal power but our own"
Quoting Dr. Nicholas Murray Butler,
PRESIDENT Of Columbia University as
one Of those opposed to agitation for
increased armament and as having
asked for what war and with whom,
the country should be prepared, Judge
Dickinson said:
Perhaps today DR.. Butler can see
that the idea of our getting into war is
not altogether chimerical. My answer
Is that we must not prepare for war
with any particular country, but that
we should, until nations change their
attitude toward war. prepare to resist
the unjust aggressions of any country.
l say this without regard to the pres
emit war or present conditions"
The speaker referred to recent re-
ports by Major General Wotherspoon,
former Chief of STAFF. and of Secretary
Of War Garrison.
Unless we reject this evidence as
untrustworthy." he said. .'it is perfect
~ patent that so far as our Army is
concerned we are wholly unprepared
to defend ourselves against invasion
by any first class power
Without going into detail we know
from recent Investigations which have
been made public. that our Navy is not
up to the relative standard that it at
one time occupied, and that it is serf-
ousiy deficient. The fact that it has al