New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-18
OUR LOVE OF EASE
Has Sensuality Reduced Us to
Flabbiness?

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir The letter Of j. Edward Hubbard, jrs
in this mornings issue was most interesting
and | only wish that I could view the situa-
ton with the same complacent optimism that
he does
Mr.. Hubbard makes the mistake of con-
sidering my former letter mere criticism
of the policy of the administration in the
controversy with Germany. 1t was not so in
tended I am not an admirer of the admin
stration or Of it's policy in this matter but
that is merely incidental What arouses my
disgust is the attitude Of the people who
have been crying all through the Mexican
mbroglio and the present war, Whatever
happens, let US keep out of war; and the
people who have for years in Congress and
out bitterly fought the most modest at
tempts of patriotic men to put the country
i'm q position where il could defend itself if
obliged to fight
most empbatically disagree with Mr.
Lumbard's view that the people Of the United
States have never yielded themselves to the
silly arguments Of the paciists. How else
can he account for the fact that a nation 20
which sea power is essential in any war
allows its navy to sink to a bad fourth or
even fifth in strength and allows the efficiency
Of the navy to deteriorate so that it's gun
merry, formerly the best in the world, has be-
come a CHASTITY joke? Why have we per-
sistently neglected our army and failed to
provide reserve either in men or NUM-
tions? Why do we get along with military
system partially controlled by each of forty
.t.- t.4 .ttk, 20 fpf 81 that real control
is nowhere? Why do the so-called peace
societies" advocating disarmament and turn
ing the other cheek" have thousands of mem
bers? Why is 1T possible that organized
labor can conduct without rebuke an utterly
un-American propaganda against military
preparation? Hundreds of such questions
might be put What is the answer?
Do the American people believe that
wars are past or that a war can be won by
mobs armed with stones and pitchforks and
commanded by lawyers and grocers? If it
does. then the American people are not only
ignorant but trarscendently stupid, and no
one Of our enemies has ever suggested that
stupidity is a national Characteristic. No,
the explanation must be sought in the dis
taste for the drudgery the hardship and the
expense entailed by military preparation.
They have believed the pacifsts because they
have wanted 20 believe them, and / can only
see in that belief an evidence that they are
unwilling to have their creature comforts
disturbed and their business nterfered with
,as they foolishly think and their pocket
books called upon by the demands of AIDE
quate preparation
have followed this question for years.
I have waded through columns Of the Con
gressional Record" wondering how men with
ahffffr t-fu gIDrrrpVe
House OF Representatives and the Senate
could ever express the views uttered in the
debates | have read in the daily papers
speeches from the lecture platform and the
rulpit which filed me with disgust and /
have been forced to conclude. though with
great reluctance that If the people were not
i'm sympathy with the sentiments OF the
speakers the speeches would cease or per
haps never have been made | have always
Seen a careful student Of history, partcu-
larly military history, but one does not need
10 have studied much 20 know the result
when a fully prepared nation meets one
which is without preparation. The mighty
power of Carthage. unusually wealthy, but
absorbed in business, honeycombed with
partisan politics and composed OF citizens
who shirked their duty 20 the state, relying
on hired mercenaries. fell before power
INFERIOR IN every resource except the sturdy
patriotism and aggressive military efficiency
Of It's citizens. Rome. in its turn, when its
citizens became eneryated by wealth and
luxury. and in consequence lost the military
spirit, hired the barbarians to do its fight
ing and went down from the blows Of the
soldiers IL had hired and trained.
So u has ever been and always will be.
When a nation becomes enamoured Of
physical comfort that IT will not undergo the
slight Inconvenience Of reasonable military