Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-06-01
BIC ARMY.
MORE SHIPS,
ADVOCATED
Bismarck Preacher Urges Ma.
tion's Defense Be Strength
ened at Once.
MEMORIAL DAY PROGRAM
DRAWS A LARGE CROWD.

Yesterday afternoon Memorial Day
was observed at the Auditorium with
an appropriate and exceedingly inter-
esting program. Members of the Jas.
B. Mcpherson Post, G. A. R., were
guests of honor. Members of the Ma.
tional Guard were present and also
members of the Women's Relief Corps
Mr.. Joseph Hare, himself an army vet
eran, presided. 49,. ~ .
The services opened with song,
Cover Them Over" by the sixth
grade pupils of Miss Larson's room,
under the direction of Miss Alice
Smith. The children Of the Parochial
school then sang The dying Sol
der Both songs were beautifully
rendered and reflected credit upon
their instructors.
|sa The Gettysburg speech was read by
Mr.. Hare, who then, introduced Dr. G.
w. i Harris, pastor Of the sPresby yterian
church, who made the address OF the
afternoon.
0'f National Defense. ' @
Dr.. Harris in the opening of his re-.
marks. paid a tribute to, the old sol.
diers, and then said, that instead of
addressing them he would take them
for his text, speaking upon the need
Of national defense. He said that on
a similar OCCASION, eight; years before,
he had addressed their. body, taking
this subject, but that his view point
was entirely changed. He announced
his conversion to the belief in much
greater national defense than we now
have. n
DR.. Harris based his argument on
what he called the four fallacies of
the Pacifists, first, that there is no
probability of war; second, that in
the event of war the country is pre-
pared; third, that ornaments cause
war; and fourth, that treaties are suf.
fcient as basis of defense.
Probability Of War.
AS to the probability Of war, the
speaker declared that however much
we might wish to avoid it. the matter
did not altogether rest with us. Just
as long as the country adheres to the
Monroe Doctrine, which virtually
promises protection to every country
in the western hemisphere, we have
contract which may involve us in war.
Were any European nation to seize
South American republic we would be
bound to interfere and this interfer-
ence would doubtless mean war. The
speaker touched upon the Philippines,
the owning Of which he said might be
embarrassing, upon our strained rela.
tions with Germany, and while he hop.
ed that war might be unnecessary,
there were sufficient reasons why the
country should improve it's national
defense.
Country Unprepared.
In the event of war, Dr. Harris de-
clared, the country would be unpre-
pared. He quoted Mr.. Bryan as say
ing that million men would spring
to arms at the first call Of their coun-
try's need, "but,' said the speaker, IF
ammunition and arms could be sup
piled to only one half the number the
large quota of volunteers would be of
little use"
AZ He compared the size of the mobile
army to the police force Of New York.
saying that the army was only twice
az large. He quoted Secretary Of
War Garrison as saying that at the
most we could only count on 14S,0OO
men and S.S1S officers in the regular
army including the state militia; a
force SO Inadequate in its peace
strength that 1t stands tenth in the
rank Of nations. Speaking of the de-
ficiency in artillery he said that there
was onlv ammunition for one whole
days fighting, and that our guns would
be silenced by noon of the second day
Costly Experience.
He declared that this unpreDared-
ness for war was only history repeat
ing itself and that it would be in the
future. as in the past. a costly and ter
rible experience in the case Of an in
vssion..
He continued, Germany could land
in seventeen days 100000 men, force
that our inadequately prepared army
would find 1t impossible to meet. .ey-
cept at great loss. Our salvation at
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