Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1916-02-10
PREPAREDNESS
IS DISCUSSED
BY HON. JAMES R. Mann, RE-
PUBLICAN LEADER OF The
HOUSE Of REPRESENTA-
T|vES.


Representatives, delivered in Con
gress Jan. 25th
Mr.. Mann tells why ut is wise TO
US now to begin our preparation. HI
makes the point that, If Europe'i
fighting nations can wipe out part,
lines to prosecute war, so can the
United States to prevent war;" ant
that "home industries should bt
strengthened as part of our Nationa
Defense plan"
Mr.. Mann. Mr. Speaker, in the
auietude of my garden last summer
and autumn reached certain conclu
sions which l have hesitated to ex
press, thinking that i might modify
them. But as time has gone ON and
events have occurred it has seemed
to me more certain that my conclu-
sions were right than even when
first reached them, and 1 think, in
Justice to myself, and l hope with
some slight benefit to the country,
1 ought to express those conclusions
to the House.
1t is well known in the House that
/ never have been believer in a
large standing Army. and / suppose
that have been probably properly
classed in what is sometimes refer
red TO as the little Navy men" But
wise men ought to be able to peer,
maybe indistinctly, into the future,
and to prepare today for what may
come tomorrow. The world is in
the most anomalous condition which
mankind has ever seen. The greatest
struggle of all the ages is going on
now between the most powerful
forces of the human race, between
great nations and combinations of
nations, until we are the only large,
powerful nation not yet involved in
that struggle. 1t is breakup in the
world, each side not merely fighting
for its own existence, as it believes,
but. as it seems to me, each side
with the determination to
put the other side, as it were, out
of business We have never had such
d thing in the world before, with the
same powerful influences at work.
The laws of civilization, interna-
tional laws, the laws of humanity,
are usually disregarded, at least more
Or less, when two great forces are
lighting for mastery With two men
lighting, each believing that he Is
lighting for his life, each determin-
I'd to take the life of the other,
,either pays much attention to the
iesires, the requests or the de-
hands of some less powerful person
lot engaged In the conflict.
1 do not know, and no one knows,
What will result from the present
var. No one knows whether the ag-
,ression OF one side or the other
.gainst our interests, may possibly,
lgainst our desires and contrary to-
,ur wishes now, finally lead us, per-
laps not into this struggle but into
ONE struggle which is the outcome
/ this one. l doubt whether paper
eace between the two struggling
antics now, even ii it could be en-
cred into. would be even the be-
inning of the end. think the pres
mt conflict is likely to last for many
ears before it is definitely determin-
d either that one side or the other
, the master or that neither can
ecome the master And 1t seems to
le that the part of wisdom for US is
, fairly prepare ourselves for any
ossible trouble which may come.
Loud applause)
1t may be that we will have no
'ouble. / hope mot In. this war am
eutral. / think we ought to maintain
eace at all hazards And yet the
me may come when we will not
ave the determination whether we
IN maintain peace or not, because,
Dwever much we may desire peace,
Is not within our power, with the
'elings which we have, to stand
ygression too far. 1t will be ex-
,nsive to prepare for peace. Two
BARS ago a billion dollars seemed a
Dry large sum Of money. No one
ouid have believed two years ago
at either England or Germany could {
try on war at the expense al L
ady involved, amounting to billions
dollars, an expense SO great that
q interest ON the indebtedness I
uuld be sufficient ordinarily to I
aintain the Government work. And t
Q end OF that indebtedness is not I
sight. What may come out of such I
imense burdens Of debt in these
amtries, even when peace may be
'clared. no one can tell. Revolutions 9
e not improbable. and revolutions t
the history Of the world have t
nlally lead to aggression and dis /