The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-05

where being worked out. under diverse
conditions, but with the same Impulse
and ultimate object.
All this IS very clear to us and will
confidently predict. become more
and more clear to the whole world
as the great processes OF the future
unfold themselves. II Is with full
consciousness of such principles and
such ambitions that we are asking
ourselves at the present time what
our duty IL with regard to the armed
force Of the nation. Within year we
have witnessed what we did not be-
lieve possible. a great European con-
flict involving many of the creates.
nations Of the world. The influences
Of q great war are everywhere In the
air All Europe Is embattled. Force
everywhere speaks out with loud ana
i.uper.ous voice in titanic struggle
of governments. and from one end Of
our own dear country to the other men
are asking one another what our owr.
force Is how far we are prepared to
maintain ourselves against any inter
ference with our national action Cr
development.
Never the Aggrcssor.
In no mans mind ana sure Is
there even raised the question of the
any nation or any people. No matter
what military or naval force the Unit
ed States might develop. statesmen
throughout the whole world might rest
assured that we were gathering that
force. not for attack in any quarter,
not for aggression Of any kind. not
for the satisfaction Of any political or
International ambition. but merely to
make sure Of our own security We
have II in mind to be prepared. but
not for war. but only for defense; and
with the thought constantly In our
minds that the principles we hold most
dear can he achieved by the slow pro-
cesses OF history only in the kindly
and whole some atmosphere OF peace.
and not hy the use of hostile force.
The mission Of America in the world
is essentially a mission OF peace and
good will among men. She has be-
come the home and asylum OF men
of all creeds and races Within her
hospIta bic borders they have found
homes and congenial associations and
freedom and a wide and cordial well
come, and they have become part of
the bone and 'sinew and spirit o.
America itself America has been
made MP out of the nations of the
world, and is the friend of the ma
tons Of the world.
But we feel justified IN preparing
ourselves to vindicate our right To in
dependent and unmoiested action by
making the force that Ia in Us ready
for assertion.
And we know that we can do this
in way that will be itself an Illus
tration Of the American spirit. In ac-
cordance with our American Traditions
we want and shall work for only an
army adequate to the constant and
legitimate uses OF times OF internar
tional peace. But we do want to feel
that there is great body OF citizens
who have received at least the most
rudmentary and necessary forms OF
military trainings that they will be
ready to form themselves into a fight
ing force at the call of the nation
ard that the nation has the munitions
aud supplies with which to equip them
without delay should 1t be necessary
to call them into action. We Wish to
supply them with the training they
need. and we think we can do so with
out calling them at any time too long
away from their civilian pnrsuitA.