Milford chronicle., 1916-02-25

{ America are facing one of the creates
r crisis in the history of this country, an'
unless strong practical and common-sens
views prevail, the commencement of thu
r downfall of the United States will b.
: marked from the present era OF its his
, tory. It is no sign of weakness to heai
the propaganda of adjustment of wal
and strife from the world, but it is {
real weakness for the people to be lullet
into supine disregard of all treasures o.
provision for the defense of our home:
and our common country, All who have
followed the reports from the great wal
now raging in Europe, must admit that
the only single defense which stopped
the onrush of the German nation and its
allies, is the great navy of England.
Without that navy the seas would have
been impossible of navigation by the
transports, and the supply ships of the
countries arrayed against the central
powers of Europe, and the splendi
armies of those two great countries would
overrun both the western as well as the
eastern part of the European continent.
This is fact well known and incontro-
vertable. It is a real alarm that we face
here in Delaware as a part of the feder-
ated States of the Union. We have the
great munit ion plants at our very doors,
and the great small arm works in close
proximity and with the coal mines of
Pennsylvania and the great steel manu-
featuring plants where the great guns
and armor plates are made, within a
days march of an enemy once landed
from his ships our defence of the source
of supplying munitions and equipments
with a strong enemy at our doors, is an
absolute impossibility. of what effect
would be ten millions of we'll trained
men without artillery the equal of or sup
erior to that possessed by our enemy
OF what effect would the strongest fort
esses with guns carrying but twelve
miles be against ships of an enemy whose
guns range from fifteen to twenty miles?
Their ships would simply take station
and destroy the forts, and then proceed
to move up closer and either destroy our
cities along the coast, or compel the pay
ment of billions of dollars as tribute for
their safety. The cost of tribute will far
outweigh the cost of providing a defense
against attact, which would insure real
peace. In Dover an attempt to create an
active interest and realization of the
dangers which beset Delaware and the
whole eastern coast, should a foreign |
enemy gain a foothold on our shores.
Men of standing have met and consid |
cred the situation, and they have gone
50 far as to organize by naming COM
mittee to make report at a near day of
plan to follow whereby the people may
be brought to realize the real danger to
the United States from foreign foe.
Such men as H. Ridgley Harrington, A.
William Hope, S. MfHin
Wilson and a score of others of equal
prominence have enrolled for the pur-
pose. What will the people of Milford
10 to help arouse the people to a patriotic
realization of what foreign war means
10 all of us. To the old and feeble whose
feet are tottering on the brink of the
grave it means that they owe a duty to
The people who will continue on the
work of living and government to pro-
vide safeguard for their future out of the
wisdom and experience of their past. It
means that every father, every brother,
every husband and every man must pro.
.ect their sisters from rape, from the lust
If the conquerer turned loose to burn,
destroy and crush a defeated country
Prayer is all right, but God helps them
Who helps themselves, and in case of
iefense, we would feel safer with the
that a navy the equal of any
,ther in the world, capable of protect
ng our country. our state and our homes,
rom the conqueror. floats upon the
eas, ready for defense. The navy is our
irst line of defense, and the army is the
econd, but to train an army it has taken
England many monthsand even q year to
o prepare her recruits to meet the
Machine like batallions of her enemies.
Rance is'the only country of the whole
rorld now arrayed against Germany and {
Iustria. who has been prepared to defend
er'soii. 1t is the duty of every citizen
{ Delaware who respects the sanctity of /
ONE. or who believes in our form of ]
to assist by active enoouF-
cement Of the young men to get mill {
~ knowledge. which can be used when t
ie amergency arises. Since the be '
inning Of the world. and until its end, q
ars have been the means of settling
ferences between men. Might makes
ght, and no amount Of prayer will pro- y
ace the guns, the ships or the trained
en- to protect our side OF the question.