Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-05-20
SEC. GARRISON
FAVORS BETTER
DEFENSE PLAN
ADVOCATES IMMEDIATE AND FEAR
LESS CONSIDERATION OF DE-
FENSE PROBLEM.
OUT OF SYMPATHY WITH IDEA THAT
ITS CONSIDERATION SHOULD
BE DELAYED.

l I
for international peace. Lindley VI.
Garrison, Secretary OI War. delivered
an address here today advocating im-
mediate and fearless consideration of
the problem of national defense. The
occasion was the twenty first annual
mccting Of the Lake Muhunk Conference
Jon International Arbitration.
II can and do entirely SNmpathize
with every sane aud sensible movement
which tends Ia abolish conflict aud TO
insure peace. said Secretary Garrison.
but am utterly out of sympathy with
the idea that We should neglect or post
pone consideration of what j. now the
eXisting condition because of hope or
"a belief or even conviction that il may
be altered. even radically altered in the
I future"
Such great cpnchal event ~ the e.
Establishment Of an international tribu-
nal or the Limitation of armament. Mr.
Garrison said could only be- brought
about 'hy those who are strong cOura-
gcouS. Sclf-reSpccting and righteous bv
those who look facts fcarleSSly in the
face and act accordingly: by those whose
conduct iS guided by reason and judg
ment. II We were a nation possessing
these characteristics. he declared. then
We will fcarlc>Sly and couragcouSly take
up the present problem which ID il our
duty To determine aud will determine il
properly and he prepared in the proper
! way and with the proper spirit for what
may come hereafter"
Secretary Garrison laid down a. his
first indi>putablc premise" that self
preservation il the first law of "A nation
The second premise was that = "A ma
lion to deserve preservation must be
sane. just. righteous. sclfrcspccting and
courageous" Since these virtues he
said. were obtained only IN conflict
they could bc retained only bv being
prepared 10 defend them from inevitable
assaults lie took issue with the belief
that II . ndtion takes military precau
tons il invites what ID seeks "a prevent
or repeal.
HThev. lsowavcn who ,leprecate the
taking of these precautions and the
making Of these preparations he went
on. urge still further somewhat akin
10 that just disposed of. They say: III
YOU are strong enough "a fight. YOU are
more likely To fight"-or stated i'm the
negative. IF YOUR nation il not prepar-
~ 10 h. involved in war
To he perfectly frank. | cannot per
Iccivc the slightest basis in reason or
fact for such contention. viewing il
solely from the negative side. without
now advertising to the affirmative side.
which this position absolutely neglects.
Whereabouts III the realms ~ spi-
ritual or physical life do those who urge
fin "a.
soundncss DO the things which we
call evil refrain from aSsaulting the
weak. the fabby and the feeble? III the
physical sphere where and when has
fccbleneSS and weakness acted rs a
shield and bucklcr? Where i'm the his
tory If nations do We find the strong
staying its hand because of the feeble
ness of its rivall The pages nf history
literally abound with instances to the
contrary.
IL the only reason that We should
not prepare such strength aS may b,
necessary 10 protect ourselves il br
cause of fear that We NAV be- tempted
10 misuse II and may in fact miuSe ID
~ were better To run that risk than th,
RISK Of feeblcncss and weakness against
The strength Of others which il lust 4.
likely. on this theory. Of being misuset
J against us
Our geographical position undoubt
, eily minimizes the danger of invasion
, oi our continental posseSSons. Oul
lack Of aggressive intention and oui
righteous intentions minimize the sour
re> and the causes of war: our iSola
on mas not as a fact assured our free
n"m from conflict; and other national
) relatively as isolated have been involy
) 81 ~ war; and no sound reason can n
. addnced which would Justify sane mar
!. ~ concluding that isolation alone spell
!. safety Furthermore our isolation /
!. geographical nnly. No nation dwell
: unto itself alone Modern condition
have caused the interests of nations 4
: ~ - correlated ~ those of familic
s who have intcrmarried The interest
8 OF many Of the large nations today ar
a inextricably interviewer with those a
: some or all of the others