Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1916-03-02
DEMOCRATS OPPOSE
WILSON PREPAREDNESS
Engendering Great Mi|itaristic
Propaganda.

Fargo, Feb. PA small-sized
bomb was dropped into the Demo-
cratic Achievement banquet at the
Fargo auditorium this week when l.
J. Dunn of Nebraska, the principal
speaker Of the evening, opened up an
attack on the preparedness propa-
ganda.
The first part of Mr.. Dunn's speech
was in perfect harmony with the adj
dresses of the other speakers on the
program, Senator Purcell, ]. T. F.
O'Connor and Mrs. Keough.
Mr.. Dunn made a particularly able
defense of the presidents Mexican
policy, of the administration foreign
policy and of the tariff law, the bank
ing law, and other constructive meas
ures that have been put into force
under democratic rule. He had
talked for about an hour or these
subjects when he suddenly launched
into the preparedness part Of his
speech.
He stated that he believed in pre-
paredness against any probable" at
tack but did not believe in program
such as has been proposed. He took
exception to some of the statements
that had been made by Senator Pur-
cell.
I'VE are told that we need to pre-.
pare for war;" said Mr.. Dunn.
What kind of war are we going to
prepare for, war of aggression or
a war of defense?
I'VE are told that we are in dan.
ger Of attack.
"Who is going to attack US and
why?
There is something more than
sentiment in war. War means seas
of gore. 1t is an easy matter to
talk about war, but do the people of
America realize what they are engen-
dering when they plan great mill
taristic propaganda? They are plan
ming to send their young men out to
he food for powder.
why?
''If there is any need for preparing
for war for defense / am willing to
prepare, but where is the war COM
ing from?
Senator Purcell Interrupts.
After he had made some state.
ments that seemed to reflect on Will
sons preparedness program, Senator
Purcell, who was on the platform,
interrupted to ask if the president
did not believe in a program for de-
fense only and not for aggression.
The speaker paused to take a
drink of water.
II don't know" he replied.
Neither does Senator Purcell
know" Mr.. Dunn remarked, turning
to the audience.
Neither does any democrat in this
room know.
II thought the president was
against preparedness for aggression
and aggrandizement, but since his re-
cent western trip hardly know what
to think. I certainly will never sup
port any program for a navy 'incom-
parably the greatest in the world,
which Mr.. Wilson advocated in his
St. Louis speech.
I'VE are told that we should have
a navy that would protect our COM
merce anywhere in the world. IT
that means that we must have navy
large enough to send warships to pro-
tect every vessel of the steel trust or
the oil trust, then l am opposed to
1t.
"H am going to oppose any plan. no
matter II it is sponsored by even such
q great man as the president. that is
for aggression or aggrandizement.
Washington and Madison are be-
ing quoted as saying that the best
guarantee against war, the best guar
antee Of protection is preparedness.
If they said that, all I can say is that
their premises were not sound. 1t is
not true and, as proof of this, I will
point you to the countries of Europe
which are now madly engaged in the
bloodiest and cruelest war ever
known, and those countries we're pre-
pared. It was their preparedness
that made the war.
"It is easy to conjure up frightful
things. Many of these things are pos
sible but most of them are not pos
sible. What have I to offer in proof
of that assertion? I simply point you
to the history Of your country. This
nation has never been attacked. In
every war that this country has been
engaged, this country declared war.
"Our exposed coast lines that we
hear 30 much about have been there
aver since thia nation was q weak,