Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1916-02-11
THE BIG
QUESTION


TO consider for more than a half CEN
tury now engages the attention of
our national lawmakers in the pre-
paredness measure.
When you get to arguing matters
pro and con on this subject consider
some OF the following facts;
First of all: Preparedness does
not mean placing chip on the shoul-
der Of your-Uncle Samuel, and posing
as a "gun-fighter." 1t means ample
(and when we say ample" there are
no restrictions to the meaning of the
word) provision against emergencies,
and emergencies of dire import are
generally unforeseen, 81.
Preparedness is payment perhaps
of high rate of insurance for con-
tinuity of security, whether fancied or
real; guaranty to posterity and to
our present generation that the inde-
pendence of which we so proudly
boast shall be an heirloom and a real
boon; an assurance to the world that
we hold in no light esteem the won
derful benefits that have been be-
past wars-martyrs whose number
might have been greatly less bad they
also been prepared. But war came
on them unawares-as ii must al
ways come. We are not immune,
neither are we at all feared by some
of our sister nations.
Courage is a mighty good thing to
90 kHn A
can has. we are proud to say. never
been found wanting when personal
bravery was called forAand he new
er will be. r.H
But who wants to sehdnan unpre-
pared, unframed fearless man against
a trained. prepared enemy equally
az fearless? ~ teb
peace" is beautiful. both as a
theory and reality. But 1t only
becomes a comfort when it is abso-
lutely guaranteed.
Some men are so brave and con-
fident of their individual adamantine
physical qualities that they would
with impunity sleep in a den of rat
tlesnakes without even the protection
of suit of pajamas. These men are
generally theoretically impervious to
the dangers that may never come.
Should one of these impossible dan
gers some time resolve itself into a
reality you would see him hustling
around to get into some clothes and
lay his hands on a club. Then he
might sally forth to meet the enemy
with some degree of the confidence
which needed material assistance.
And there are some persons who
pOoh-pooh at the idea of storm eel
lars, But let him SPY real cyclone
about a half mile off, coming his
way, and he will hustle like the very
devil to get into his neighbor's dug
out-for the emergency which he
had not foreseen, or had not thought
probable, becomes an imminent dan.
ger-his life is at stake-and he was
not prepared.
However remote may be the possi
bility of war, there is Chance
that the United States may become
embroiled. And no-not one-citi
zen of this great country should bS
unpatriOtic enough to take chances
on the well-being of the Nation.
What we are not prepared for:
We are not prepared TO intervene
in Mexico, should we so desire.
We are not prepared to tell Eng
land or France to do anything con
trary TO their desires. for the reasof
that we are infinitely below their ma
val strength. and Tor tine further rea
scf that they could cut off absolute
Iy every avenue of our foreign com
merce. There can be no doubt about
this assertion.
And TO think Of itl We are moi
right now prepared TO put to sea and
1ao a. they should be the splendid