Weekly journal-miner., 1915-01-06

HIS SOHultlOll lS hOl Ol lOSNhI OAi gin, this fear of a military despotism has existed from the days of the con stitution. Our army, navy, and mil itia have probably reached the high est degree of efficiency in their his tory within the last decade. This very fact leads you, who belong to the class who believe our manhood invincible and unconquerable, to say that as we never have been con quered therefore we never can be" :" As in the war with Spain, for every one chosen for service three would rush to the colors. My reply is, Yes, thank God there are so many loyal sons, noble sons, who could be made into the best soldiers on earth. But you have forgotten to consider the process of making and while you are making soldiers of our youth, what is the enemy doing? Just what he pleases, where he pleases and when he pleases, and there are none to op- pose him, few like flies to annoy him, but not oppose him. There can be no more Concords and LeXing- tons if this country is invaded. War has passed from an art to the highest science of death and devastation and that nation which is best equipped in all its departments of war must ot necessity reap the reward of its scientific attainments, cruel and bar barrie though they be. The present war illustrates my point-England was about as ready to invade for eign country as the United States IS. Her army was woefully lacking in the numbers and equipment neces- sary to stem the tide of Saxon out burst. If the allies can hold the Sax on in leash, England will yet make good. Can you picture the tragedy if it had been only England and France. England with her navy, the first in the world. What has she done with it? Nothing to date ex- cept convey troops from her prov inces to the seat of action, protect portion of her commerce and en- gage a few of the enemies warships. The toll she has paid. is enormous, one break in naval strategy and her own fair shores may be invaded.
 Germany stands as the antithesis of England, prepared in the most minute detail for war, defensive and offensive. She is the wonder of the onlooking world today because of the magnitude of her military and naval achievements, but while she thus challenges our attention, she merits our strongest condemnation for hay ing so over capitalized her manhood with militaryism. There must be a mean between these two extremes, rational standard of protection, which is just and equitable for each nation of the world to maintain, and which if maintained would tend to- wards world peace, but of this we will speak in moment.
 The Springfield Republican recent ly stated that The military lessons of the present war, so far as they have developed, do not emphasize the insecurity of the United States. It has been pertinently said that every European power now at war will be so exhausted when peace arrives that they will not desire more fighting cn a costly scale for years to come. And an invasion of the United States would be one of the most costly military operations.' Quite true, but in our dcfcnsclcss state do you real ize that the tribute levied on one of our coast cities, Boston, New York Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah. Galveston, San Diego, San Francisco, or Seattle, would more than pay the cost of one of these cX- pensive military raids. If you doubt, this statement, let me refer you to any bank or banker" in Belgium.
 The New York Evening Post echo ing the sentiments of President Will son. says: "To our mind this is not only the time not to inquire about our preparedness for war, it is the time to refuse to vote single ad- ditional ship, and to lead the world toward disarmament by beginning to disarm ourselves. The high example to be set by such an action would make a thrilling appeal to the vic tins Of the war, certainly to cnlight- encd conscienccs in every quarter ot the globe. A beautiful thought! A thought emanating from the teach ings of Him whose birthday we celc- brate this week. 1 heartily concur in its noble teachings
 But on the other hand, war is! to- day! and we world power with no thing to lead the world back to the paths of peace" but moral sua- sion acL ,,O,t as inte11iuPut men is