The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-09-28
pretty near that mark at 500 yards.
Vital Part OF L. S. Small.

lie also learnt tlal lIouSh II
United States is q very large country
the vital part Of it's is comparatively
small. BY the vital part [ mean that
territory in which are the large manu-
featuring plants, the large cities that
could be held for ransom, the arsenals
where arms and ammunition would
have to be made, roughly the country
between Baltimore and Boston on h
coast, extending as far west as Pitts
burg. An invading army that once
over ran this part Of America would
virtually have us by the throat and
wha would he care what our arms
and legs were doing if he could throt-
tie us to death?
An adequate navy might hold off
an invader and it might not. We
should not rely too much on that.
Once it's power Of resistance was
broken the task would fall upon the
man with q rife, upon the artillery
and machine gun batteries which we
practically have not got.
So the recruit learned that in the
event of the invasion Of America,
should our navy prove inadequate, he
would have to march to the front with
the small band Of prepared and
partially prepared nfantrymen that
| are at the disposal of the country,
| unsupported by any artillery to speak
OF, ana ISnt d desperate Sl1u uIteIlS
| unavailing action against a foe vastly
better prepared in every respect. l
think the feeling Of every recruit who
realized this fact was that after doing
| his duty it would be preferable to be
killed rather than live to suffer he
shame and degradation Of seeing his
country go down to an ig~nOmlnlOuS
defeat.
Increase Sense Of Responsibility
One thing is sure. The men who
leave such camps, as the Plattsburg
camp, and there will be many for the
camps are to spread, will go home
with an increased sense of RESPONSE
bility and obligation to their country.
They will realize that no man has
the right TO belong to a free country
and vote in it unless he is ready and
willing to fight for that country, ever
if he must sacrifice his life in doing
so. That military service is in the
nature of a BLOOD tax that each one
Of us must pay if we wish our nation
to live, for a democracy which is not
able to protect itself against a wei
organized and more efficient mon.
archy, must eventually be wiped ou'
by hat monarchy if that monarchy
determines to attack it. If England
and France are beaten in this war b1
Germany, democracy will with then
disappear from Europe. II America
must in turn give way before tn
: Prussian the free institutions that on.
fathers gave their lives to establish
( and make secure on this cOntinen
will disappear from off the face Of tn
earth.
:, To argue at all about the mOrtalit.
!, Of ornaments and the morality Of wa
a at the present time is as utterly fulfil
v as to argue about whether the leave
are going to turn brown in the fail
? War exists yer most Of the civilize
: world. Great issues are at stake. !
hundred millions Of people,, closely al
: giving their all to preserve what
dearer to them than their lives, wha
we AVE always professed is dearer t
a US than our lives, our liberty, and ye
q there are leaders of public opinion i
this country who would have us CT
down the strength Of the weapons "
now possess to defend our libert
with.
n They insult us by telling us that t
a add to our military strength is
a foster in US a military spirit. TIL;
a our nation cannot be trusted to a.
n with as much moral integrity al
d restraint when it is strong as when
is weak, an argument as sensible
to propose that every strong man
az bands should be cut off lest he shou
% use them unjustly against weak
is men.
is They tell US that preparedness f
"A war leads to war. Well, unpreparet
"a ness for war leads to humiliation
le vas the case in Belgium, which
as preferable?
ne Can't Leave All to Volunteers.
I'd Another point. Is it fair or sensib
ed tt leave the defense of the country
n volunteers? Can they be depend,
on and will not the indiscriminate e
lit listment Of men Of all ages and fro
he all kinds Of positions Of responsible
e completely upset the current Of o
national life?
W. Such men as went to P1attsburg
" ways have been and always will
lis the first to volunteer. They are t