The Washington herald., 1915-08-14
A HELPLESS Nation and Its Future.

summon the Sixty-fourth Congress in extra ses
sion for the purpose of adopting a comprehen
sve program for the national defense. The num-
Der includes those who believe that armed inter
| vention in Mexico is inevitable, unless the ad
ministraton abandons its announced purpose Of
| taking definite steps toward the restoration 'o
peace and order there, and who are convinced thai
, our military forces and equipment are inadequate
even for that undertaking, and those who the
possibility of a war with Germany the result,
OF the submarine controversy or of German
victory over Europe, to be swiftly followed by
aggressions in the Western Hemisphere. These
are all possibilities which confront the nation to
which its statesmen must give serious consider
alton, and while the President now keenly real
ICES the demands the future may make upon our
strength, and is devoting much of his energy to-
ward preparing the defense program to be SUBJ
mitted to Congress, he has given no indication
that he considers an extra session necessary.
Viewed from the country's present position,
the two three months that might possibly be
gained for the work of preparation cannot be re-
garded as Of great importance, and unless trouble
becomes imminent the time between now and the
beginning of the regular session can be prohtably
spent in arousing public sentiment to this great
nations helpless condition, so that Congress will
be compelled the sooner to act in response to
popular insistence that will compel obedience. The
work of education that is in progress will
very likely result in the curtailment of great
deal of unnecessary and time-consuming debate
when Congress does take up the subject of de-
tense. Every day brings demonstration of
how completely the country would be at the mercy
of an invading foe. Cen Leonard Wood in solemn
words pointed out the danger the other day to the
he ~
structon school at Pittsburgh, n. Y Here are
just few sentences from the address of the
countrys most studious and experienced soldier
in active service:
"The perfectly asinine statement has been made
that we can raise an army of 100000 men be-
tween sunrise and sunset This assembly of you
men here at this camp is answer to that sort of
foolish talk
Washington warned us earnestly even in his
day against depending on volunteers for our
tional defense. 1t ght have been well enough
in his day to depend on volunteers, when the
meant isolation for But now when the
ocean is only five days wide, it is instead OF an
aid to isolation ready means of access.
I'VE must have system of trained citizen SOL
diery similar to that of Switzerland and Australia
I'VE don't about the small, disorganized
countries. The country we have most reason to
dread is fully prepared
tions of war is all embraced within small field
On our Eastern seaboard. You very readily
imagine what a force OF 10000 trained soldiers
once landed on our shores, could do.
Our coast defense system, without mobile
army, would be absolutely useless: You have
heard much Of new inventions which would keep
our coast defense safe, but they would be OF no
value without a mobile army.
1--WE want big navy-perhaps not the biggest
navy in the world, but certainly the second big
gcst. But let me say to you in closing that there
is nothing in Gods world that takes the place OF
a trained soldier on his feet"
A lieutenant of artillery told these same busi-
ness men that the entire United States army can
muster today only nine more field guns than Gen.
Iorpstreet and Cen Hill had in their corps at
Gettysburg; that our guns actually number nine
less than were used by two of the corps in that
battle, and that the regular army today east OF
the Mississippi has but three batteries OF held
artillery. We do not know whether these state
lnents can be successfully attacked; II they are
accurate then it is not surprising that the Presl-
dents Mexican policy has been weak-kneed
though the wonder remains that he did not long
ago demand that Congress give him the means to
make effective the warnings he has so frequently
to the leaders Of the Mexican muir
ierers and pillagers an undertaking which, Tor a
rich and resourccful nation of Iooooo,ooo people,
should be comparatively insignificant
But preparedness to cope with the Mexican
problem would be only step toward the goal
We shall have to attain. Il nc country we nave
most reason to dread is fully prepared" said Gen.
Wood and it makes no difference whether he
meant Germany or Japan, we shall have to pre-
pare to resist the strongest of the universe. Pre-
,umably not even Mr.. Bryan would undertake to
argue that, in the possible event that Germany
should triumph over her European opponents, this
tide of the Atlantic would be safe from her ag-
yression What would then be the fate OF the
British possessions to the north and south, and
hen what?
The future may have events such as these in
tore; they are not sufficiently remote to justify
he men to whose the people have entrusted
he destiny of the nation in closing their eyes to
hem. The United States today is at the mercy
# the invader. Its statesmen will not-and they
lare not if they would-accept the responsibility
If leaving the country in such condition. The
President and his advisers will almost certainly
recommend to Congress the largest appropria-
ions for army and navy that has ever been asked
n time of peace. The sentiment of the majority
# the people will make the Administrations rec
,mmendation demand and the men in Senate
nd House who oppose It expose their patriotism
o suspicion.
4