Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-02-01
WM NNND 40 uIi1.ING.


ness" and his denomination and re-
election President Woodrow Wilson
yestesday spoke in Chicago and in
Milwaukee.
Before he left Cleveland where he
had spoken last, his press agents
told the American people:
Because Of the large foreign
born population in Milwaukee, the
President is expected to urge all
Americans, no matter where born, to
stand for America first He will also
repeat his warning that the United
States must be prepared because Of
the uncertainty of the international
situation"
There is really not the slightest
necessity for the President or any
body else to especially speak to the
naturalized citizens Of German birth
or German extraction of America
first" and of Preparedness" The
Americans of German birth and ex-
traction have always been and al
ways viii be for America first"
that is the reason why they have so
strongly demanded real neutrality OF
the United States for the last
eighteen months. And the Amer
leans of German birth and extraction
are the only class OF citizens who al
ways have urged Preparedness,
who have always been in favor Of
strong navy and who would like to
see universal military service intro
duced in their or their fathers
adopted country They are of the
conviction that universal military
service, that the duty imposed upon
every citizen to be drilled for the de-
fense of his country is the best bull
wark Of democratic institutions and
the safest defense against foreign
enemies. They deem it their duty.
as it is the supreme duty of all other
Americans, to give to the future Of
our country not only lip service but
the service of the mind They deem
it their duty to translate into the
national life Of the American people
the broad principle of duty and
efficiency which are Germany's great
contribution to the world of today.
What are these principles. and where
may they be applied to advantage to
our political life?
The subject uppermost in Amer
lean minds at the present moment is
national preparedness" TO that
subject we can contribute much.
The President treated naval pre-
paredness in his recent speech be-
fore the Railway Business Associa-
ton We should hold that an ef-
flcient navy is the best protection
against foreign aggression which
this country could have, and that
this navy should consist primarily
~ ~f "a Il IL. tst
marines, both seagoing and Of the
coast defense type, destroyers, scout
cruisers, and only sufficient num-
Der Of flrst-line vessels to meet and
destroy the enemy when he ventures
battle in our waters. This establish
ment should be supported by the
creation of an inland waterway
along our Atlantic coast deep enough
to permit the free passage from New
York to Norfolk and even further
south Of small craft. Our coast
forts and fortresses should be
strengthened to make them as inn
pregnable as possible, armed with
guns which Win outrange anything
which a potential enemy can mount
on gun deck, and manned by the
proper number of trained troops. A
system OF rail transportation, by
which coast defense and other guns
could be moved rapidly from one
point to another, should be estab-
lished along both our Atlantic and
Pacific littorals, and south Of the
Canadian border.
When we approach the subject of
the army we may be equally definite
in our expression of opinion. A
large standing army oil professional
soldiers in inconsistent with the
principle and may be made danger
GUS to tho interest of a democracy
We are privileged that we should
look with disfavors upon the creation
Of huge military force of profess
sional soldiery in this country to be
employed by the President for the
time being-its Constitutional Com
mander-in-Ch the "unembar-
rassed and unhindered realization or
our political development within our
own borders." We prefer "a citizen
ry trained to arms" We want this
trained citizenry to form our stand
ing army to be renewed every six
months, and with only sufficient men
of longer voluntary service TO man
our forts.
We should advocate, too, the
same Industrial preparedness In this
country that has been Germany's
mainstay in the present war. In
sane conflict between capital and
labor must so. There can be no
military preparedness in this country
until it has industrial preparedness,
and it cannot have the latter until it
makes labor profitable and pleasur-
able. The system Of old age pen
sions, Of workmen's compensation,
and of the score and more Of other
beneficial acts which have made
labor in Germany as enthusiastic in
the defense of the realm as capital
should be urged upon our CO.
citizens.
There is also the matter Of educa-
tional preparedness. A nation is
never strong that is illiterate. The
magnificent educational system or
Germany which has wiped out this
blight from its citizenry may be
copied to advantage in this country.
We should urge upon our fellow
citizens the adoption Of it's features
adaptable to American cOnditions