Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-01-06
Thursday, January 6, 1916
Let Us Talk About II

that any regular IedoHi VI ei'A-
<r.d ever found reason to believe we
would not dare" publish such -el-
ter, because the writer's views are 'o'
exactly our own. We believe the VIII
or i entitled to a hearing II ne WISHES
!, oy IL those who agree with him are
DESTROYS of seeing that phase OF 'ile
question presented. But lets first reac
.hc letter:
- Within nv limited circle OF friends /
haze run across, Immediately or mediate
~ some Of the very best authorizes
who consider that the country Is ~
military hysteria, and WAC are Uppo"i!te,
as far as their position Will allow; tfe
armament schemes which are being
pushed in Washington and when ere
urged by the press. one admiral no"
retired is one Of these. Another is even
one of the navy board itself, VINO is lend
ing his skill and Intelligence so that II
this excessive armament Is 70 De H. shdIi
be done wisely and honestly, bu' "ho'
nevertheless deprecates it The infereifce
is surely allowable that there must re
others whose specially Is military science:
The admiral declares that II IS absurd
to SUPPOSE that any considerable force
of soldiers could ever be transported
from Europe or Asia 20 our shores. HIS
opinion, expressed now for two or three
years, has been most striklnsiy 1ustftd
by the facts relating 10 the Transports
ton of the French and English troops
to the Dardaneles. / give the following
facts only one remove from one of the
three men who had charge OF TINS trans-
pOrtation.
# took 81 transports l03 voyages 70
carry 10000 men from France and Eng
land 10 the Dardanelles, and the time re-
all the way for supplies and repairs. and
England with bases on some of the
islands in the Mediterranean. Of course,
the i03 voyages do nov mean. necessarily,
that every ship had to move ll3 times.
Let liz look at both sides Of this
question which is of SO much import
ance to the people Of .Americ2. Il mat
tiers not which side you are on Wheth-
er You are for preparedness or
against it, the question is of great inn
portance. We cannot accuse those who
oppose the plan Of having at heart
other than the best interests Of the ma
ton. They honestly believe that the
great sums Of money required for
preparedness" to meet the present
popular demard. will be largely vast
ed that the war spirit will he incul-
Gated in the present, and perpetuated
in coming generations that it is con-
trary 70 moral progress, and a back
ward step in Americas boasted desire
for world peace. They have strong ar
guments in the width Of the seas, and
the fact that whether prepared or not
America would in time throw off any
attacking power anu eventually tn
umph because Of her tremendous re-
sources and unconquerable energy and
determination: that any military pow
or would understand these things and
would never be the attacking party
against America because Of the sure
costliness Of the venture: that such
example. of courage and strength and
manifestation of just purpose and
friendiiness toward all the world,
would be the strongest guarantee of
Ieace for America, and eventually
throughout the world that could be
conceived: that at the end of the pres
ent war European governments would
not be compelled to Immediately meet
the preparations Of America-and dis
trust her motives accordingly.
Thousands of highly intelligent peo-
pie throughout the land have faith in
these things and they sincerely deplore
the tendency of the great majority. led
by the military experts and those who
have made careful study Of the hidden
other ambitious and selfish peoples.
They believe that the present clamor
for preparedness is fomented by NUM-
tions makers and military branches
that fear the end of demand for them.
They have good cause for such beliefs
on the other hand we must admit
that millions of peace-loving citizens of
America have been aroused to POSSIBLE
tiles by the perfidy of the heads of
most enlightened governments. Per
haps the fate of Belgium was the first
bitter lesson. Where Christian peoples
had believed Belgium was safe from
war by the neutrality pact of other
great powers, she was first to suffer
the relentless hand Of an almost in
slant cyclone Of bloody war. Had Bel
GUM depended wholly upon her peace
full intentions and the good faith of
other nations, the whole face of Eu-
rope would have been changed, the
whole world swept into chaos, in a
few weeks by the long -nursed hope and
phenomenal preparations Of a power
mad oligarchy. Paris was saved in the
FIRST mad rush by the preparedness and
yalor of Belgium. What the rest of the
world might have expected had the
first grand sweep of the German hosts
aeen successful, has been presented in
blood red hues by the inhuman meth
,Sis and relentless will of militarism.
Can America afford the chances Of
6 building up Of another greed-mad
group? That is the basis of prepared
ness
Can a bread winner with dependents
efford to take chances on being spared