Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1915-11-23
800 IN SUMMIT HEAR
NEED OF PREPAREDNESS
Security League Founder
Draws Lesson for u. s. from
Condition Of France.

Special to the Evenina Star.
SUMMIT, Nov. 2s.--An audience OF
more than three hundred men and
women last night in Lincoln School
hall heard S. Stanwood Menker, pres-
ident Of the National Security League;
Major Charles e. Lydecker, of the
Seventh Regiment, of New York, and
Hamilton Wright Mabie, of this city,
speak on this country's inadequate
military defense, the need for pre-
paredness and the propaganda OF
peace The meeting was held under
the auspices of the local branch or the
National Security League, which now
has membership of 260
! Mr. Menker, the first speaker, who
was one of the organizers OF the ma
tional league, told the audince that
his interest and activity In the forma-
tion of the organization had been
caused by his observations OF condi-
tions in France at the outbreak OF
the European war He held that the
effect of the unpreparedness OF France
in shat country presented q lesson
that led him to realize the great duty
devolving upon the citizenship of the
| United States in providing an ade-
quate national military defense.
U. s. Unprepared to Meet Attack.
In his review Of the present mill
| tary conditions the speaker pictured
| this limited army and naval defense
of this country and declared that we
have neither an army nor a navy OF
sufficient strength to adequately meet
| attack. In support OF his argument
on the inadeuuacy of the country's
| military forces the Security Leagues s
head asserted that now with part
of the United States troops occupied
with the Mexican trouble, and others
at various remote fixed posts, there is
| at present q trained mobile army force
which could be available in case of
an attack of only 1900 men, or about
| as large body as the New York
! police department. AS for war fnuni-
! tions, the speaker said that IT had
been asserted that this country has
more face powder than gun powder.
| Due to unpreparedness, an armed
force of 10000 men landed on Long
| Island could capture New York within
three days, said Mr.. Menker.
Urging individual effort to bring
| about adequate national prepared
ness. the speaker declared that we've
got to work for our country il were
going to deserve and preserve the
heritage Of our ancestors. We don
want war We want defense. That's
our propaganda"
Major Leyd6cKer cOnI6Hueu Ltldb IL
1.-THE United States is to maintain the
great responsibility of a world power
1t must be backed by sufficiept
/ strength to have its word respected.
"Unfortunately at this time the
/ speaker said, "our word is not re-
spected by certain powers. We must
have the strength and influence as a
world power or we will be no power
at ALL"
Mr.. Naive, president Of the local
league, who presided, said that the
lopponents Of preparedness misunder-
stood the movement. They feared, he
said. that stronger national defence
would lead to another page of discs
ter and horror such as had gone be
fore in the worlds history and Is now
being written of the great European
war. Preparedness, Mr.. Naive. de-
fined as but an attempt to bring to
the American people an awakening 10
national self consciousness.
Our share In Present War.
'Hifty years ago this military spirit
might have been dangerous, but to-
day q man isn't man unless he has
In him the makings of a soldier" said
Mr.. Mabie. There are many Ameri-
cans who evince no concern in the
European struggle, holding that 1t is
4 no concern of this country that for
eign nationas are at war, the