El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-06-16

embarrassment, as well as discredit to
the country"
Dickinson Says Defenees Inadequate.
II would be the blindest folly for this
country to regulate its conduct upon
the assumption that there will be no
more wars or intrust its destiny to any
temporal power but rs own. said JACOB
NJ Dickinson, former secretary Of war,
in an address advocating better mill
tary and naval preparedness At pres
ent, he said, the army and navy de-
fences OF the United states were Who'll
IL inadequate for war with any first
class power He added that the idea
Of getting into war is not altogether
chimerical"
Judge Dickinson was a speaker at a
mass meeting in Carnegie hall Of the
Peace and Preparedness conference, I'M
der the aucpices Of the National Sc
curity league
Whatever we may think OF wars,
their injustice. or their folly" he said,
when we know that there have been
but few periods throughout the centu-
ries when they did not exist, when we
know that within our short national
life we have had but rev decades with
out war OF some kind, and four wars
with foreign countries, and when We
have before US the spectacle of the
greatest, bloodiest and most destruct-
i've war ever known since time began,
il would be the blindest folly for US to
regulate our conduct upon the as
sumption that there will be no more
wars"
Some object Lessons
Answering the charges that there
are deliberate efforts now under way
for foisting upon this country the same
militarism that has been the undoing
Of Europe" Judge Dickinson cited our
action toward Cuba. the Philippines
and at Veracruz, as object lessons OF
pacific purpose, to say nothing OF our
long record OF efforts for the promo
ton Of peace"
The speaker referred to recent re-
ports by Maj. Gen. WotherspoOn, for
mer chief OF staff. and Of secretary OF
war Garrison
Army UnPrepared-
Unless we reject this evidence as
untrustworthy." he said, ~ is perfect
" patent that so far as our army is
concerned we are wholly unprepared to
defend ourselves against INVASION oy
any first class power.
without going into detail We know
from recent Investigations which have
been. made public, that our navy IS not
up 10 the relative standard that II al
one time occupied. and that II IS seri-
Ously deficient. The fact that II mas
always acquitted itself in every war SO
as to reflect great honor upon our
country cannot blind US to the dell
will our people never learn to treat
these questions in terms OF sober earn
q
is involved? There are no more Jeri-
chos to be demolished by blowing OF
Appeal Directed to Congress.
A resolution introduced by mayor
Curley. of Boston appealing TO presi-
dent Wilson to call the attention OF
congress TO the pressing need OF
prompt and efficient action. with re-
gard to the national defence was
unanimously adopted Tuesday.
The resolution was adopted at an
executive session following luncheon NJ
which one OF the speakers was Luke l.
Wright. former secretary Of war
Mr.. Wright said in part:
we have seen the well established
rules of international law. as applied
to blOckades and the rights Of neutrals
lfgerent powers It behooves US the
men and women of America, TO see II
this bloody tragedy which is being
played before our eyes, does not carry
with il some lesson to US
Treaties Are Disregarded-
zone Of those lessons is that treaties,
however solemn, in the stress Of angry
passion or selfish interests. may be torn
TO shreds and thrown in the waste
basket. Another one is that the rights
Of neutrals are not always carefully
regarded by angry belngerents; and
the third, the most important 70 US. IS
danger to its prosperity, or to its very
existence, il must be by preparation
and by a reliance upon its preparedness I
rather than upon treaties and written
papers Of any sort
England Equally Culpable-
We see today evidences of. If not Of
irritation, at least Of the possibility Of |
trouble growing out OF the remOnstrance |
Of the violation Of our rights as a neu-
trail uation- and I am not referring |
alone TO Germany, because England is I
IN the same boat The English orders in ]
council are just as Objectionable from /
a neutral standpoint as is the sinking I
of belltgerents' ships with neutrais on !
board without giving them chance TO I
escape The underlying principle is the :
same.
Need Large Regular Army.
They say the Lord takes care OF I
drunken men and sailors. I sometimes /
think the United States of America |
ought TO be added to the list Of those |
who are under his special guidance.
believe We ought TO have a regular |
army adequate TO make a first line and 1
to give US a breathing spell within :
which TO organize out OF our magni9i- {
cent raw material, an army which would I
be sufficient