The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-09-10

enlist to defend their country in time
of need, and to class them with con-
victed criminals, is an insult to the
men,
The speaker compared the military
systems of the European nations with
that of this country. Every country
excepting England compels men to
serve three years in the army, after
attaining their majority, he said.
This is consumption, while in the
United States the men enlist because
they want to do so and not because
they have to. The European nations
have armies of more than a million
men, while the United States has
100000 men in the regular army and
about $4,000 in the National Guard.
~ do not favor too large a stand
ing army" said General Kirk, "but
| would be fearful of the result should
this country be plunged into war now.
We are not prepared. We would
have nothing but the National Guard
to fall back on. Statistics show that
out of the standing army of 100000
men, only 10000 could be called for
immediate duty. Nineteen thousand
Of the regulars and the rest are scat
tered about elsewhere. The National
Guard is the only organized reserve
we have and there are about $4,000
men in it. To put them in the field,
equipped and ready to do effective
work, would take from thirty to nine
ty days.
"The great masses of people know
little Of our defenses. They know we
have a navy, standing army and
coast defense. They think that if this
country should be attacked, a million
men would rise up within forty-eight
houre and defend her. We are too
prone to judge our future perform
ances by our past achievements. The
pages of history show, however, that
in every war in which the United
States has taken part, she has had by
far the biggest army, numerically.
"People argue that war is wrong
and should be abolished. They say
breeds a desire for war.
Just as long as men and boys engage
in contests for physical supremacy
there will be war and just as long as
we train to win athletic contests, we
ought to train ourselves in the use of
the weapons of war. The better
trained we are the less apt We are to
have to use our training. We ought
to be able to sustain our international
policies if we have to.
"Unpreparedness was the cause of
the greatest civil war in the history
Of the world. When the Civil war
broke out President Lincoln had only
5000 soldiers to defend the national
capital.
From 1871 to 1914, Germany,
with the greatest fighting machine in
the world had no wars. During the
same time, the United States with a
small army, had war with Spain
md an insurrection in the Philippine
Islands that took three years to put
Town."
In closing, General Kirk said there
we're $500 men in the Michigan Ma
ional Guard now and asserted that |
,reat steps forward were being made.
lis parting words were that the
: best crowd of boosters he had ever
net in any city was in Owosso.'
The Press Americans report of the
program at the Temple is as follows:
After the dinner at the 1. o. o. F.
'emple, Major M. J. Phillips, as toast.
master, called upon several for inn
remarks. E. o. Dewey, the
chairman of the Improvement associa-
ion armory committee, was the first to
De called upon and the auditorium
'airly rocked with the applause of the
as he arose. Mr.. Dewey said
hat he had had good backing in his
work, and complimented Representa-.
i've John Y. Martin for his excellent
work in securing the passage of the
bill which made it possible for the
county to have such a fine armory.
Mr.. Dewey declared that Owosso was
eternally right in her arguments to
the legislators and that when one is
, ternally right, he is bound to win.
he declared that in getting the bill
through, this city aided the other cities
If the state by making it possible for
hem to get additional funds for armory
purposes. The entire state will say,
Thank you to Owosso for this, said
Mr.. Dewey.
major Guy M. Wilson of Flint, com.
n ended the Improvement association
Y armly on its efforts. Il know the
ifficulties you men have bumped into
n your fight, said Major Wilson.
You have shown that your hearts are
light and that you are pulling together
or Owosso.'
spoD Mort;,, J;.ora.o1 L.. -1-t- l.. |