Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-06

except for defense 7-lesds him not only
TO use IL on sligh' SFovooation, but 70 use
language which provokes trouble. Speak
softly. but carry q big stick IL one Of the
deiusive msxifns employed by thoss who
put their faith in force There are two
answers TO it--flrst. the man who speaks
softly has not the disposition 10 carry
club, and II man with a soft voice is
persuaded 10 carry = club his voice
changes ss soon AZ he begins 10 rely upon
the club.
'If there n any truth IN our religion,
a nation must win respect as an individ-
ual does. not by carrying arms. but by
an upright. honorable course, that inyites
confidence and inaures good will. This
nation has won It's position In the world
without resortinE to the habit Of totins
a pistol or carrying club. ~ re-
verse our policy at this timef The preai-
dent himself admits that there IL no
reason for a change. He says:
The country IL not threatened from
any quarter. II stands In friendly rela-
Co. N ~ the world It's resources
and its respect and capacity TO
,,..s .tr ~ own citizens and rights are
well known, And. 70 make the state
plent more emphatic, he edds:
There ls no fear among U.S..
had Example 90 Latin Amerieans.
II we were not threatened by any
nation, II our relations with ali nations
are friendly, n everybody knows that
we're able to defend ourselves II neces-
sary and II there IL no fear among US,
why Is this time chosen 20 revolutIonize
our national theories and to exchange
our policy for the policy OF Europe?
Why abandon the hope that we have
30 long entertained Of setting an ex-
ample 70 Europef Why encourage the
nations Of Europe in their fatal folly by
Initiating them1 Why impose upon the
western hemisphere policy so disas-
trous7 May we not expect ali Latin
America TO be stimulated 20 preparation
II we enter upon a new ira Of prepnra-
uonf And will not such a policy make
conflicts between these neighboring 70.
publios more probablef We shall do in
definite harm 10 the nsighborinR nations
as well as 10 ourselves II we are drawn
into this policy, which provokes war by
preparation which is impossible with
out large increase in taxation and the
Arousing OF a military system which sets
up false standards Of honor"
I'VE are now spending more than $3.50
ooo.ooo a year on preparedness-te times
as much as we are spending on aEricuI
ture-and feel sure that the taxpayers
are not In favor Of inereAsing this sum At
this time when a change Is not only un-
necessary, hut . menace 10 our national
ideals
Time for seIf-ReatraARt.
There has not been a time in fifty
years when there was less reason TO ada
70 the expenses Of the army and navy.
for we are not only without an enemy,
but our preparedness IL Increasing rela-
lively aA other nations exhaust them
selves. And there never was a time, and
there never has been a time In cur whole
history whom our duty 10 the world more
imperatively demanded self-restnaint and
the counsels Of peace.
u hope the president will not be de-
oieved by the atmosphere OF the Msnhat-
tan club. That IL the enc place IN the
United States whore the Mammon-wor-
ShipinE portion OF the democratic party
meets 20 exchange eomplimenss-there "a
no group farther removed from the SEN
tirnent Of the masses, whether you meas
ure that sentiment by economical, social
or religious standard"