Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-01-07
On DNORTHCLIFFE'S
ElFWS OF AMERICAS
|rEBLENESS MISTAKEN
|..osl Wiedersheim Takes Is
with British Editors
|,ninion Regarding Our AL
legged Indifference
ron KEENLY ALERT

xortbclife's comments on the pre-
situation in the United States
=assssd exclusively in the EVENING
# Fnn'' ..ore correct In so far as they
- m the possibilities. II the pres
pss n affairs continues. but wrong
- 10 what America Us going TO do
IN according to Colonel Theodore
y n.,sbeir at the head Of the Phila-
y hronch of the National Security
Pnn Ind one Of the city's most influ-
sps' sayocotes Of adequate national de-
.~e going TO prepare for possible
Is 'asouateIy and effectively salu COL
Hvvicdersheim Just how we are
"a do II do not know. nor does
se at present for the problem Is
s,tsiiv one Of method. But II is gong
81 !. done. for the people are thorouEhly
ssd All that Is needed Is the crys-
,.st,on of the national defense senu-
!, which is rapidly being accomplished
.,,cb such agencies as the Nauonal
3urity League ,,...,,
<Ise colonels remarks were direCteu
ard that part of the great Eng''sh
srnalist's article in when ne Sala!
0personally. | doubt that the United
stes will really prepare FOR any war:
bere will be an immense amount Oh
En- AS there was with us, ana you
R,f. hava people like our late Lord
4oberts preaching WISDOM put ms
r,il he drowned i'm such melo-
ssJ Didn't Raise my Boy etc.
Fo,s'' dav the Laplanders or the
4 <'.,onders ~ or some other nation
4 3,,,aran change the word as you
4 ~, will notice YOU are rich and
IS,sst and will come and take what
*ev want.
sn,anders. Greenlanders, said Colo
4 W,edersheim. "A suptle roillcal
*,st. They are the two most important
|ntries In the world
4 would be the last person in the
IA 20 quarrel with the latter part of
N Northcliffe's statement. 1t Is the
|.lbllty of Just such occurrences of
4 IN many of us, most of us, in fact.
nIIv aware: that Is. the possibilities
I'M policy continues along the lines 1t
IN the past. The war In Europe has
|sht us that
'But the war in Europe has taught us
kr things, too. and the lessons so
<ned are the reasons why Lord North
Ia statement about us not really pre-
'pe for any war is a false premise. 1t
Ibut natural, / suppose, that, fully
hre of his own country's fatal mis-
i In the matter of being inadequately
barred. he should believe that we are
hg 10 make the same mistake.
'But they, over there, had no spectacle
4 a cataclysm to bring them to their
5ses and We have had, and still have.
M is the difference, and great big
Il is.
That Lord Northcliffe should entertain
b IDEAS, however, is deeply significant.
1ether his conception of the situation Is
correct one or not. the fact remains
h he entertains It. And 1t is not too
In to suppose that others abroad are
HE same attitude Of mind or may get
BIT
h Europe now those who were prepared
those who were not know the fatality
being among the latter. Should we
|gle our provisions for national de-
se II IS not unlikely that somebody
|ht be willing to take the chances of
|thting by such bungling.
The onl.' solution of the matter is to
pare and to prepare right. The Ameri-
people know It, And that Is why
d Northcliffe's deductions are not al
Pther correct"