The Detroit times., 1915-11-27
Preparedness-Th
Last Refuge of Avarice

Preparedness, the subject which is
most agitating the Americans at present
might carry more conviction TO the indi-
vidual man but for two things, either of
them sufficiently strong to rock the
y Foundation of this proposition which is,
sitter all, as house built upon the sand.
The first is that for forty years Europe
has been preparing itself against ag-
rression" and has taxed its people to the
utmost for the avowed purpose of keep
Ing peace; the German emperor partic-
ularly priding himself upon this atti-
tude.
Germany setting the pace in militar-
ism, every other country followed suit to
the best of its ability, for one purpose
only (the people were led to believe)
DEFENSE.
What occurred?
AS soon as the height of military or
ganization and preparedness" had been
achieved, terrible war broke out for
which NO ONE was to blame and in
which EVERY ONE was on the defen-
sive. This idea was of course necessa-
rily maintained in order to make good to
the people the promises made by the gov
sernments in exchange for the money
they had poured into the treasury to
support this huge fighting machine.
For while the Americans were be-
WiIdered by the excuses, the explana-
Hens, the white, gray or blue books is
nleod by each country to show how it was
wholly guiltless and the other side utter
" guilty, but they finally sifted down
1 Tie material at hand and concluded that
the entire blame lay in the military sys-
( tenn. which was maintained, not for de-
Tense, as was claimed, but for aggres-
sion to be used at whatever time seemed
favorable to strike blow for aggrand-
ixement Of some sort The fact that the
var became so wide spread and acute was
due to the alliances which had been pre-
viously entered into for diplomatic and
eeommercial reasons, loans etc.
All this does not commend militarism
0r even preparedness to the American
mind.
The. second thing is right here. at
home. The American is easy going and
slow to anger. He allows his substance
/. to be wasted and poured upon the ground
b BY politicians, yet he says nothing. He
allows himself to be mis-represented in
the state legislature or in Congress and
/ keeps still. He knows Of the lobbies of
special interests which are constantly
working against the good of the country
!. for private corporations and still he pays
D his taxes uncomplainingly, BUT it has
ell made an impression upon his mind
aud when great occasion comes, he
& fises in revolt. The accumulation of
s many minor wrongs are welded together
lind stand him in good stead against a
blg and mighty wrong.
This is his attitude toward the pre-
poredness which means the building of
huge battleships by private corpora
lions, corporations which have made
hundreds of millions of dollars out OF
munitions of war sold to Europe ant
would be quite as pleased to make as
much or more out of their own people
he knows the nature of the American
lnoney grabber, the man who will not de
ne fighting, and he is not wild with en-
*<husiasm at being made party to any
cuch arrangement.
IL He knows that HE must pay for these
keat ships, which could be sunk in few
noments by torpedoes, and he cannot
~ Who would be the gamer but the
rresaid steel trusts and corporations.
11o Is hard working, Industrious
- losinR citizen wAe believes that his
|{<1n4rv haa outprown the feudal aQe