Evening journal., 1915-06-05

bttntis
Congress should meet and author
ize a bond issue of $i,O0O.0OO,0OO for
the national defense. The money
should be placed in the hands Of the
President and his advisers to be eX-
] pended in Strengthening the navy,
the army and the fortifications Of the
main and insular coasts.
In single year Congress appro-
pirates over 81 ,000. 100000 for the or
/ dinary expenses OF the government.
and the appropriations are increasing
! every year But national defense is
not an ordinary expense, and should
not be treated as such. The work
should not be done by piecemeal, but
/ all at once. 1t is a national emer-
gency-a crisis in the life of the ma
ton One billion dollars-a single
years expenses-is a small price 70
pay for national safety insurance.
Better pay S1,O00.0O0.000 and be safe
than be forced to pay $4,000, 100000
tribute to a conaueror.
If it were proposed to squander ST.
600 0000.0 600. the people would object
But 81 00O, 100000 for defending their
country and their homes is a small
item-money does not even enter
into the question. Safety. not eco
nOmy; absolute security. not counting
the cost. is what the American people
desire and expect.
The people would eagerly subscribe
for honds issued for the national de-
fense. They would support the gov
eminent financially as they would sup
. port il on the field of battle. The ST.
600. 100000 bond issue would be over
subscribed The public would feel
that at last Congress had awakened
, to the peril of the situation confront
ing this nation and had taken appro-
pirate action to forestall attack and
to defend American rights.
Cannot the nation act with the SANG
! prudence that actuates any prudent
I man? When burglars, are about the
, man of sense defends himself. puts
, i'm burglar alarms and protects his
I family A community guards itseli
1 against fire by providing fire-hghtinl
apparatus How can the nation af
| ford to neglect the most obvious pre-
1 cautions against attack? The world.
alarms arc ringing their deafenins
S warning Must the United States
- wait for the crash of cannon agains
= :
g Again we say that precautioI
against war does not mean a provo
s cation of war. The guns forged b,
d the United States will not be turneI
G AGAINST any nation that does not at
n tack us. But when foreign guns be
e gin the attack we want guns to NEE
Y the attack We dread the possibilit
y OF forcing American boys 10 defen
: their country with their own bodio
= without the best weapons in thei
d hands.
S. II war is forced upon the Unite
e States, it will fight the best il car
s. But woe to the men in high place
d whose neglect may cause the useles
at slaughter of American lives! Th
.e people will rise against them an
N sweep them away
Ie There is time in which TO prepar
al The national strongholds can he mad
T. invincible. and sentries can be place
le around the bulwarks. The peopl
m can be armed and trained, so that,
E. going out to defend the country, the
" will not be a mere mob, ripe for Ii
-e harvest of hostile guns.
IS. Every day of delay in providing f
Id the nations securfy may mean da
n OF weeping in Americsd household
of later on Now. today, while there
le still peace, let the nation put itse
o. on guard