The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-26
WHY HURRY OUR WAR PLANS?


In a letter to newspaper editors
Hamilton Holt. the distinguished edi-
tor of The Independent, and one OF
the first to work out and present in
detail the League-to- Enforce-Peace
plan, points out in emphatic fashion
the reasonableness of our making
haste slowly at this time in the matter
of increasing our ornaments. There
is the possibility, as Mr.. Holt suggests
that when the European war ends the
nations concerned in it will be in
mood to organize the world for peace
and some sort of disarmament, ana
then a hurriedly expensive prepara-
ton for defense on our part would be
an unnecessary burden. On the other
hand, if the war should end in nothing
more than a truce which would con-
tinue the scramble among its partcl-
pants for even greater ornaments
then we will be in a better position
than any of them to undertake the de-
velopment of our military and naval
forces that such situation would
make inevitably necessary. There is
also other food for serious thought in
Mr.. Hollis letter. which reads as fol-
lows: THE American press has al
ready discussed at length the presi-
dents preparedness program from the
military and financial standpoint. Is
there not an aspect of the problem,
however, more fundamental than eth
CT? Here we are in the midst OF the
direst calamity known to history. Eu-
rope is bleeding to death. Asia is strain
straing every nerve to hold our friend
ship. We would seem to be safer from
invasion than at any time during our
history. We are not only safe, but we
are prosperous Our prosperity, how
ever, is not the result of our own plan
ming. 1t is coined out of Europe's
agony And yet at the very time when
our hearts should open as never be-
fore to the piteous cries from across
the water when all our thoughts and
all our substance should be freely Civ
en- to binding up the broken wounds,
when the hour calls for supreme and
glorious unselfishness. we are propos-
ing to retire within our little world and
proclaim as our national policy Safety
first!' Instead of considering how to
embark on course that would bring
us the gratitude and love of every ma
tion-such, for instance, as taxing our
!
to repair their losses after the war
we propose a plan that will inevitably
make each one of them hate us lit
| TIE more Some years ago we returned
/ to China $1O,OOO,O0O, which was an
| overpayment on the Boxer indemnity.
That was not a present to China, but
only a refusal to keep what did not
rightfuIly belong to us. Yet the re-
, turn of that sum-half the cost of a
modern neutrality-suspicious. made the
United States the most beloved nation
on earth in the hearts of that great
Asiatic people now so sincerely CROP
ing for light and liberty. Is there not
a lesson here for a nation that would
plan preparedness for peace? Let us
then make haste slowly in increasing
our ornaments. BY the time the war
is over we shall most likely find the
nations ready to organize the world
for peace and some sort of disarma-
ment If that is the case, any great
burden of taxation now imposed on the
American people for armament pur-
poses will be wasted. If the nations
however, instead of making a durable
peace, only declare a truce in order tc
continue the mad scramble for great
err and ever greater ornaments, ther
the United States, having lost neither
in treasure nor in men, will be in 6
better position than any other natior
to enter the inevitable and crushing
race whose end is death to all but the
most powerful