The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-01-18
Uncle Sam Advised To BE
Ready Any Time.
Preparedness Urged by Ma
tiOnaI Federation.
U. S. IN NEED OF LARGEST NAVY
JapS Could Seize Pacific Coast
With Ease!
III Defeated, U. 5. Indemnity
Would Be 10 Billion!

Washington, Jan. 1S.-Stirring pleas
for national preparedness and vigorous
attacks on peace at any price" ad-
vocates were made by speakers of ma
tional Prominence at the closing ses-
sion today of the National Civic fed
Grafton. The speakers included Sam
.uet Gompers, president of the Ameri-
Jean Federation of Labor, )hn Hays
Hammond, Senators WaGsworth and
Phelan, former Governor O'Neil of
Alabama, Arthur H. Dadmun, secre-
tary Of the Navy League of the United
States, ana Talcott Williams of New
York, dean of the Pulitzer School of
Journalism.
1--WE are forced to tn. conclusion,
however opposed we may be to the
profligate expenditure of the nations
wealth, that military and naval de-
Tense, even in the case of a peace low
ing nation. is imperative in the pres
ent status of international relations,
declared Mr.. Hammond.
Mr.. Hammond said that only two
objections could be urged against pre-
paredness: First, by the peace at
any price" class, because they fear the
Development Of a militaristic mania;
4 second, the question of costs
Preparedness an Insurance.
Mr.. Hammond urged that the pro-
posed expenditure of $1,O0O.000 be-
yond the countrys present naval and
business investment, an insurance
not always efectual against war-but
(which viii at least minimize the dis
tress incident to the war. The speaker
said that the present was not the time
Tor either political party to make po-
littcal capital for campaign purposes
If IN pursuance of Pan-Americanism.
He said: we are to extend our
Sphere of influence, we need d navy
of far greater strength than that of
any other power, with the sole excep-
ton of Great Britain, with Japan we
have other issues in addition to our
open door. in China, that might bring
e Crisis. Military experts have urged
the utter defenseless position of our
Pacific coast against an invasion by
the Japanese"
In conclusion Mr. Hammond ex-
4 pressed the belief that a Panama canal
bond issue to meet the cost of ma
tional defense would be less objection
able than any system of direct taxa
tfon
q Former Governor O'NeilI declared it
4 was difficult to believe that the peace
4 at any price" advocates realized the
"debasing and demon, LIKING doctrine
they preach"
Pork BarreI'' Politics.
The most serious opposition in con-
gress to the preparedness program -
he continued, lis to be expected from
those members who bitterly oppose
any reduction in the size or capacity
OF the pork barrel Fortunately these
defenders of the pork barrel repre-
sent but a small and noisy minority
The speaker urged the creation of
an adequate navy as a first line of de-
Tense, an efficient standing army of
several hundred thousand men and
the adoption of the Swiss or Austria
lian plan Of universal service to make
UP q reserve army.
Declaring that the United States if
ever defeated in war would have to
pay an indemnity reaching as high
aa SIC, 900, 100000 if the tribute laid
on. France by Germany in 1871 may
be taken as measure, Mr.. Williams
said that the interest on this enormous
sum would be as large as any expen-
diture now proposed for increasing
this cOuntry's army and navy.
T-"Fhe browning reason for an ade-
quate army and navy for the United
States" said Mr.. Williams, lis not
war, but peace. The boundaries of
the country need defense but no more
than its duties need discharge"
- Samuel GOmpers Speaks.
Adequate preparedness for national
defense was advocated here today by
Samuel Gcmpers, president of the
American Federation of Labor. While
he insisted that military organization
must be democratic and the nation
must be safeguarded against the evils
OF militarism. Mr.. Gompers declared
Americas own freedom had been
achieved by resistance to tyranny, and
that pacifists failed to understand that
Quality of the human race which
made men willing to risk their all for
an ideal