Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-07-21
THE UNITED STATES NAVAL AID.
VISORY BOARD.

Secretay Daniels intimation to men
of the grade of Thomas A. Edison and
OrviIle Wright that they and other in
ventors and investigators of rank may
be enlisted as sort of expert ad-
visory board for the UnitedStates navy
has met with a prompt affirmative re-
sponse by them. Reliable informants
asert that both the army and navy of
the United States, in days past, too of
ten have treated with scant courtesy
and indefensible indifference projects
and mechanical devices which naval
administrators in Europe have been
later too glad ia appraise, to buy and
to use.
For this reason, therefore, as a dis
tinct reversal of past narrow policy
the summons to Mr. Edison and his
associates is significant.It implies that
the non-official leaders of the people,
who are more than ordinary expert in
in application of technical knowledge
to busines done for private and corpor
ate profit, are, at last TO be consulted
when national interests are heing pro-
tected and when great arms of the
public service which are based on eff
licient use of elaborate machinery are
being put in order for possible action.
But apart from any interest tie new
policy may have as a reversal of a the
ory that undervalued civilian, expert
aid, it must attract attention far and
wide, because it shows the republic
accepting - tentatively at least - a
standard of incessant emphasis upon
war as a phase of national activity de-
manding unremitting intellectual ap-
plication and forethought, not only by
its professional military class, but by
leaders in walks. 1t implies perma-
nent relation between masters of ap-
piled physics and chemistry and the
stats of the army and navy depart
ments. 1t assumes that the time has
come when the republic must empha-
size preparedness more than it has.
and at least be ready for defensive
war That all these implications are
fully realized by persons who shape
public opinion through the press and
who are commencing the plan, we
doubt
These should be seen. before either
journal or citizen takes a stand For
the national choice of the newer pol
icy, if confirmed and liked by addi-
ftional departmental projects, will mark
an era the character Of which may not
be pacific or profitable. Consequently
it will be well TO have a pretty clear
definition of the logic of the first steps.
No one can get beneath the surface OF
quite a number of new movements in
the United States, ably cfficered and
add adequately financed. studying the
| personnel of the leaders and the rank
and file, without seeing that the pro-
paganda for a more brilliant national
policy has back of its factors in the
nations that are not customarily count
| ing heavily for democracy or human
brotherhood. The call, therefore. is all
| teh more insistent or citizens who are
determined to hold the republic true
TO an ideal of power ether than might,
to think and act so as to keep in con-
troll of national affairs leaders who
will refuse to let the military party
dominate. The advice of expert lay
men on matters of technical equip
ment may be expected fully and CRATE
fully. But teh larger isues of national
policy toward other powers and the
use to be made of military proficiency
must still be settled by voters or their
official representatives. - c h istian
Science Monitor.