New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-22
PREPAREDNESS FOR PEACE
Only by Being Strong Can Dangers
of War Be Minimized
To the Editor Of The Tribune.


Sir: Not long ago in The Tribune 20.
ticed an article by j. (. A. on the -Bgris,
Of Preparedness" in which he states tia.
the United States foolishly intends to :ar:
the armament race all over again. ask bin
if the Burden Of Preparedness" is as lirgi
as the burden OF indemnity, subisaa's,
disgrace and complete humiliation Wiki
is the easier, the cheaper, the more tsrau'
Bile to bear?
It is ridiculous 70 assume that our dssrra'
ment means that Japan and other nations
would accordingly disarm. We are no. caps
bic Of defending ourselves. II We are no.
anxious concerning our own safety no''cI
else is. Just as ridiculous is the Statement
Of many advocates Of unpreparedness ns
only when we are totally dsarmed can 7"
propose lasting peace with all other "a
tons The only way We can command az
aspect in proposing a world peace, let sl'i'
being res pected by other nations, IS 10 e
prepared ourselves.
We may want peace, an honorable and la'''
ing peace; in fact. We do. But do other ~
tons? Does Japan? So long as one n'u'i
is prepared it means that all the others MS
be also prepared. If J. (. 4. Is INV"
enough to want our country 70 sink INTO s'''
Of helpless appropriateness, how many o'hta
are there who wish for the same shsns'
state Of affairs? J. f. 4. says tina. %"
prepared is TO provoke var Rather ~
paredness installs safety, invites pro'Pe'7
and provokes peace. If anything.
A. A. K. says that after this war ne =
tions will have q distaste for slaas'a.
How little he knows Of history. Cne v']'
have thought that when Germany lost 10 ~
cent of her population in the Thirty is'n
War she would never engage IN any NV
wars. What does his statement prove NJ
dreds of tons of smokeless powder Gay .
being manufactured in the United states ~
Russia. and this is one hundred times >
much as on a corresponding date last "a
What a bright outlook there IS for al 'A''
peace
China, were she prepared could wipe y
the civilized world. She is not prepa'e'' - -
consequently Japan, very much '"@, ~
nation, handles her as if she were putty. y
will sirk into that state Of softness' Of -'7
lessncss. unless we recognize our ioHy
time
A very mistaken apprehension ente''-'".
By many persons is the one that as SOW.
we are attacked our hundred millions =.
rise UP in their might, General WOW =,
eminent authorities have repeatedly sou =,
this would be murder pure and simp's, -,
minus guns. ammunition and proper ~,
no matter how brave they might y - \
would only serve as so much nu"an. .,c
be killed wholesale. dying because A'"''
was not prepared. , ,rs
The General Board knows d million -,
as much as Congress about naval @he (,
tary questions, and yet Congress pt.s.;I,,
totally disregarGng its advice. ~
Wilson has clearly shown his fau'S .;,,
American people. He is not the ns";,osl
Of a leader of mon. Lindley NJ. u~'i.s
resignation proves this almost De-
doubt. Wilson is too headstrongi nc or,
to fact toward the end Of his Adm a..,x;,
ton so that ne can aptly make "n' 20
tour for a second term. The ne" 60. ,h
is going to prove whether we agre, rid,
man who has dishonored the noble - ~, :,
lives so needlessly sacrificed for an0,n Z
TONS spite or whether we stIli De-. .,c,
such things as American honor ard Aa as.-r,
manhood and man who represents
Theodore Roosevelt 70, 4,
Only when we are well prepared ~, =
dangers and pitfalls of the morrow r,s
say, peace on earth, good viii to"Si ,ss
Let US hope that the time Is not ta' =" ,ou
the spirit Of unpreparedness VAL % nd
p!etely squelched BY the Americani'% ,;,Sls.
is within US and only needs 20 DC lso .,
Then can we say: THANK Cod H.
an American" n.
J. EDWARD LUMBAEp'
New York, Feb. 10, 1915.