The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1916-03-21

DR.. R. L. Kelly. speaking before the
1875 club today, opposing prepared
ness, said in part:
There are as many degrees Of pre-.
paredness as there are militarists Just
rs there are as many degrees OF anti.
preparedness as there are pacifists. 1t
is understood Mr.. Roosevelt and
Major General Wood stand pretty close
together and yet there is variation
OF 100000 men in their estimate as
to the size OF the army America needs.
In case Of naval war we would look
to Admiral Fletcher for protection, but
he says we do not need navy equal
to that OF Great Britain. The same
testimony is given by Admiral Grant
Of the submarine fleet.
Admiral Fletcher declared year
ago that I'VE have navy superior to
that OF Germany or any other except
Great Britain; 80 late as February 8
he testified before the House commit
tee that 1T is better differed than II
has ever been" and since that date he
has said that three dreadnaughts and
four cruisers would make 1t equal to
Germany's navy.
General Weaver, chief OF the coast
artillery, says II know of no fortifi-
oAtions In the world that compare
Ohvorably In efficiency with ours"
Secretary Daniels has testified-"ship
for ship and man for man our navy is
equal If not superior to any in the
world" and he has also referred to
the navy secrets" as an added source
OF strength. Secretary Garrison says
that man for man our army is better
than any similar military establish
ment," while Lieutenant General Mel
son A. Miles declares that the news
papers are misleading the public In
statements regarding our arms and
ornaments"
j This war spirit has been worked up
very largely by the armament plants,
the military and naval organizations
and the subsidized press until many
of our people are in a state of fncOher-
ent panic. Who knows now the les
sons this war has to teach? Joseph H.
Choate, less than year ago made
the significant admission, Perhaps
the day Of the dreadnaught Is done"
One year ago President Wilson in his
message to congress asked, who can
tell us now what kind of navy to
build?" Japan has already announced
that she will build no battleships this
year. What we need now is informa-
ton. II, in our feverish haste we do
something, we shall probably do the
wrong thing. Let us not spend mill
ions Of money on random guess.
On Jan. % Of this year President
Wilson said, Nobody seriously sup
poses that the United States needs
fear an invasion of its own territory"
Will the enemy be Germany or will
1t be one of the allies? Germany and
some of the allies are now bleeding
to death. The German fleet Is bot
tied up in the Kiel Canal--the ships
are deteriorating, the service is deter
iorating. Before this war is over it is
most probable that there will be an
engagement between the English and
German fleets. Both fleets will come
out from this contest disabled. The
allies are short of munitions and we
are now furnishing them hundreds of
millions &. war materials. Neither
the allies nor Germany will have war
supplies at the end of this war. The
United States will have war supplies.
The present belligerents will be look
ing for friends not enemies when the
war closes. If Germany attacks us
she will do so from a distance Of three