The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-23
A FAILURE AS PEACE
Colonial Problems That Country Can.
not Evade Alone Demand Vigor-
GUS Policy Of Defence

HELD, of vas, expansc. The power of
the individual to have instant COM
munication with other individuals at a
great distance, the capacity of modern
systems of transportation to concen-
trlto the varied products "f the carth
At one place with great rapidity. 10
rcdistributc them in the same or al
tered form to other plaNes, has lS1
To tho coordination of the activities
of many individuals and many agen-
rleS under the mastery Of n great or
ganiziny mind until We have come
upon tn. day of the mammoth indus
trial aud economic organization
known as the trust and found in all
modern civilizations. Invention has
brought about the < of combination
in the field of industry and business.
The same force has made possible and
introduced tho same consequences In
the political field.
As this IL the age of combination
in industry 81 II il the axe or coali-
tion in world politics. As modern
methods of transportation u COM
muuication make possible economic
undertakings of "A vastly greater scale,
~o in the field Of politics the same
agencies dictate the convenience and
even the necessity of a coordination
and cooperation Of certain groups of
nations. at least for certain SPECIFIC
purposes. Present combinations may
not stand. but there IS no likelihood
that others will not take their places
in cas-" tho present ones are disrupted
America Is the only nation of first
magnitude in the world that ia not n
party to some great combination "i
peuples. The nearest approach t. an
alliance participated in by the United
States IL the more OF less tenuous
doctrine Of I'an-Amcricanism, and at
the present time from a military
standpoint this quasi-cntentc ~ more
of a military liability than n military
asset on ccoun Of the u~ndevelopcd
state Of the military resources ~
Latin American republics.
I do not say our policy OF isolation
should be departed from, but | dc
ray that il should he At least taken
seriously into % as an important
factor in the framing IF a military
p'4l'N. We ntunA Itlii'ill'fI NlldI w
stand alone. And either ~ must dc
part from our policy of isolation 'r
arm sufficiently to protect the United
States from any probable danger
reasonably to he anticipated from the
strongest coalition az Powers existing
ut any one time III tho world.
OF course first thought Is for
tho safety 81 continental United
States. Svlr-preservat.on is the first
law o. uatarc. We should estimate
.he power hat might within amy
reasonable probability nc brought
against NJ. Aud then No must pro-
coed !" organize without ~ -
cost at l.as, y minimum am"uut al
sen power and land power that vii
eliminate 81 Gar ~ possible iilliiity
= Invasion.
Rut v" havo ohligat o. or,s.io t.,
cont n'nt1' trrr.tor, 81 the i'u''"'
States Ere COL cation" which ~" ,.u-
no, AVOID. We arc bound to Iuug. to
Porto Rico. TO Hawai-. 10 Nitsha. Ia
the philippines. None OF IL. denies
our obligations 10 Alaska. Eut there
seems to loo mucn c,,rfu~..u OF thought
3s 80 our duty with respect L. 'i'
islands 81 the Caribbean aud the Pa
c.tia that have com under our tu;o.
age.
Tho cuty IL absolutely clear. Th'
nation has put is hand 70 the pluuc!
an, cannot turn back with honor nm
al the whole furr"N IS done, The tim,
80 measure tho dogro. nf v~oNpunSih.tl'y
that w are assuming with respect 90