Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-06-15

|
the extinction of the individual and
also the example and the inspiration
of Il martyr nation. What the future
may bring We do not know, but We do
Know that hitherto the history of ma
tons has been such that we can en-
trust our destiny to no temporal
power but our own"
Quoting Or. Nicholas Murray Butt
Ter, president of Columbia university,
as one Of those opposed To agitation
Tor increased armament and as hav-
ing asked for what war and with
whom" the country should be pre-
pared, Judge Dickinson said
Peace Not Assured.
Perhaps today DR.. Butler can see
that the idea of our getting into war
Is not altogether chimerical. My an
swer 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 | say this without regard to
| the present war or present condi-
| tons"
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 per-
| tectly patent that SO far as our army
| is concerned we are wholly unpre-
pared TO defend ourselves against In
vasion 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
seriously deficient The fact that II
! has always acquitted itself in every
way SO as 10 reflect great honor upon
cur country cannot blind us to the de-
| ficiency.
win our people never learn toI
treat these questions in terms of so
Der earnestness and with realiza-
ton of what is involved? There are
no more Jeriehos TO be demolished by
blowing of horns.
III these things be militaristc then
am mlitaristic. | have endeavored
to show that the time has not come
when We can dispense with arma-
ment; that at present, without regard
To the attitude of the warning nations,
our army and navy defenses are
wholly inadequate for war with any
first class power; that at all times of
our history and especially now, inl
view of the Developments In the sell
ence Of war reliance on new troops
for immediate action is folly and that
il will require much time To train
troops for efficiency, and 10 prepare
the material for modern warfare.
fNone of these things will set Us
against disarmament, whenever the
nations can be brought to seriously |
contemplate it. A nation that has an |
armament to abandon will have a far
more potential voice in council of
nations considering disarmament than
one having none to abandon
Eavors Stronger Army.
The enrolment and military in
struction of every available able bod |
led man In the United States between
the ages of s and 40 was recommend /
ed in the report of the militia com
mittee of the National Security league
ut the first session late today. Ma
tional and state laws to this effect |
should be passed without delay in the
opinion of the committee, which Is
headed by Col. Charles f.. Lydecker
Courses in military education and
field hygiene should be embodied in
the curriculum of every college. in the
committees opinion and the huge en-
ANfiibNiii VI aitiNth7f IL 70 VI SUI oAOhih
be affiliated as reserve. more closely
with the regular army than the ma
tional guard now is affiliated.
A school for officers to train the
citizen soldery is also advocated.
stimson Urges Preparation.
Immediate preparation for ma
tiOnal defense adequate TO meet any
eVentuality was urged tonight by
Henry l.. Stimson, secretary of war In
the cabinet of President Taft, in his
address
'The main danger of war today
said the former secretary" lies in the
fact that we have so acted in the past
as to give good reason for believing
that we do not really mean to protect
our rights. The surest way to get into
a fight is to use strong language and
then stand with your hands in your
pockets. Is there a man who doubts
that President Wilson'S note to Ger
many would receive more attention if
1t were known that our navy was in
readiness and our free people, in the
language of Washington, disciplined
and trained to arms?'
Acute Issue Has Arisen.
Mr.. Stimson opened his address by
calling attention to what he described
cause of the destruction of American
lives on the Lusitania." He disclaimed
intention of saying anything that
might embarrass the government but
declared that he considered ii his duty
and the duty of every American citi
zen to help create an intelligent public
opinion. Mr.. Stmson asserted that
the development of the right of the
neutral has been the means of put
ting the brakes upon savagery" and
then continued in part as follows:
Reyersion to Barbarism.
To-day we are face to face with the
European war to which one of the
combatants has reverted to the thor
ough- going logic of primitive warfare
Finding force to be the ultimate fac
tor in war, she has declined to reeog-
nize any inconvenent restrictions
upon the use of force which interfered
with her purposes or methods of war
fare. The neutral rights of Belgian
territory lay between her and her goal
aud she trod them under foot. unable
to harm the fortress or battleships of
her island enemy she has not hesitat-
ca to lombard unprotected towns and
or to torpedo unarmed mer-
chant vessels. 1t was inevitable that
such an attitude must sooner or later
bring Germany into antagonism with
the right of every neutral nation
dwelling in or doing business in Eu
rope
Not Concerned About Causes.
We We're not concerned as ma
ton in the origin or causes of the /,
war; we arc now vitality interested in |.
its results. We cannot stand by and I,
see centuries of progress swept into
the dust heap without vital injury to