Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-12-22
AcYcl0 ONE DAVIS" STILL ON
THE FIRING LINE
Congressman From Texas Never
Minces Words A. Letter to
g. NJ " World Proven

Congressman From Texas Never
Minces Words A. Letter to
N. Y. World Prove&
Answering your telegram. think
Woodrow Wilson one Of the grandest
men that ever served as president,
but as q congressman am unwilling
to commit myself now to any very
large extension of our army or navy.
I would like to double or treble our
army and navy schools, preparing an
adequate number Of young men for
expert service In time Of need; en-
large our Rock Island arsenal; manu-.
facture and keep on hand an ample
supply of first-class guns, munitions
and like equipments; plant several
aeronautic stations on our shores with
submarine and mine equipments. Thus
prepared and relying on q citizen SOL
diery, II We give the citizen freedom
and fair play at home, we will be i'm
pervious to all attacks from any
source.
fear q very large part Of this
clamor for preparedness is inspired by
the money trust, steel trust, powder
trust, shipbuilding trust, etc., which
are growing fabulously richer and
more powerful over the war contracts
from Europe and want to have this
country in a frenzy over a big army
and navy so when their big contracts
with the Allies in Europe close, they
can feast a few years more on our
own federal treasury in big, fat con-
tracts at home.
What countries do we expect to at
tack US? If our program is only de-
fensive, see no danger Of trouble.
The clashing government Of Europe
are now bankrupting their govern
ments, and numbering their men by
the million. Unless Morgan, or some
of our predatory rich, furnish them
money, it would be impossible for
them to invade and maintain a war
with our country. Stupid must be the
man who thinks that Japan or China,
even both, could mobilize an army,
wade the ocean ten thousand miles
and invade our country. Germany
seems to be the specter of dread that
the "Gingoes" refer to. Germany will
have enemies enough in Europe to
keep her busy for generation, even
If she comes out of this dreadful war
alive.
Bryan, Wilson's great partner in this
wonderful peace and prosperity we
now have, made solemn treaties with
most nations Of the earth, to refer all
questions to The Hague one year be.
fore declaration of war, or an overt
act of violence. Shall we tell the
world that we have no confidence in
It's treaties? Is Christianity dead and
honor extinct, and the world a prize
ring in which brute force alone is
master? Kings, emperors, aristocrats
and great, greedy corporations will
keep the world in maelstrom of mis-.
cry and war If democracy, freedom and
justice are not allowed to assert them
selves. 1t is the mission of our gov
eminent to lead the way in this great
universal civilizing program.
I would have the government make
its own army supplies, munitions
guns, gunboats and aeroplanes. One
who feels pang of sOrrOw over the
present cruel war grows Mortified and
heartsick as he sees the great CUR
and powder factories of the earth in
partnership, supplying the guns and
munitions that prepare both sides fol
the slaughter. The Krupps in Ger
many and the Armstrong; in England
leagued in corporate partnership
have furnished deadly machines Of
murder that thunder on both sides Of
every battle. II war is HELL" az
Sherman said, then let US keep out
Of "Hell' by preparing for glorious
civilization at home, enlarge our ports
and merchant marine, curb the rapac
ity of the malevolent rich, who con
centrate our natural and productive
resources into few greedy hands.
Establish justice, insure domestic
tranquility" not make all our far
mers tenants and our laboring mill
ions serfs to soulless corporations, anG
our merchants poems to a few trusts
in order that few bankers like Nor
gan and Rockefeller may be masters
of all our gigantic enterprises, thus
promoting debt, discord, riot, strikes
and misery among the masses.
"Provide for the common defense
by making our people free, prosper
GUS and happy and then the combinet
world could not invade and conque]
us. A contented citizen soldiery II
fnvincible. promote the general vel
fare and secure the blessings of lib
erty" to the masses and not to the BIZ
corporate classes.
The price Of several warships would
better be spent in impounding the
vast SHOWS melt along the base Of the
Rock mountains for irrigation ovel
the fertile valleys below which stant
thirsting for that which, if interned
would bless millions of people ant
make their homes prosperous. The
price Of few more warships and thu
price of a large standing army coult
well be spent in dredging and disin
fecting sluggish and maismati,
swamps and streams; giving health
and wealth to vast sections of countr!
now infected with disease, stagnatio1
and death. The price of few dread
naughts would be far better spent il
erecting a system of continental mill
tary highways.
Some provision must be made il
our defense program to prevent tn
great corporations from feasting OF
the ruin of our country in war, an,
money be made to fight for its coun
try the same as men. All goes dow
In war except gold, which stands tri
umphant over every battlefield clean