The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-02-16

'ohoiuoi ID lniS' Inc preparedness
which we are now asked to make is
against nations which are not prepar-
ing to fight US. But suppose we get
ready to fight them; will they not pre-
pare against US? If they can scare
us when they are not prepared, will
we not scare them when we do pre-
pare? And, then, will not their prep
aration compel us to prepare more, and
will we not scare them again and they
us again, and we them again. until
bankruptcy overtakes us all? This is
no new thing. The people who profit
by furnishing preparedness have been
playing the nations of Europe against
each other for generation Every
battleship that is built in one country
is made the excuse for building more
battleships in other countries. Let
me illustrate the plan of the battle
ship builder: Suppose three farmers
lived around little lake and battle
ship builder wanted to increase his
business-how would he go at it? He
would go to the first farmer and say:
you are helpless. If your two neigh
bors were to combine against you, they
rould overcome you; you lack of pre-
paredness Is an invitation to them. Let
me build you a battleship and anchor
it here by your land. Then they will
see that you are prepared, and they
will be afraid of you and peace will
be preserved" He would then 20 to
see you are prepared and will be
see that battleship over there? Do you
know what that is for? That is for
you. Are you willing to invite attack
by being defenseless? Let me build
you two battleships, and then he will
see you areeprepared and will be
afraid of you and peace will be pre-
served" He would then go to the
third farmer and say: Either one of
your neighbors is more than a match
for you alone; together they can an
initiate you. Your only safety lies
in the building of three battleships.
Then when they see you are ready
they will be afraid of you and the
peace of the lake will be preserved. /"
BY this time he would be able to go
back to the first man and say: "Your
little battleship is out of date. It is
a provocation instead of protection.
Unless you are willing to build more
ships you had better sink that one
It shows that you want to fight and
everybody knows you can not fight.
You must have four battleships of the
latest pattern in order to prevent war
by being prepared for it." And so on
and so on. This is what they have
been doing in Europe. Is 1t possible
that they can entice us into this mad
rivalry?
II we are urged to depart from the
traditions of the past and to enter
upon new policy. there are two an.
swers which can be made, either of
them sufficient. First. IL we ever in.
tend to change our policy, the change
must not be made while this war
lasts. II we change now, 1t will be
a confession that we have been wrong
and that Europe has been right. and
IL we make this confession we shall
not only bepowerless to assist the
belligerent countries by a good ex.
ample. but SHALL by imitation, encour.
age them in the course which has
drawn them into this unprecedented
conflict. II we are ever to change our
rolicy. now Of all times is not the
time.
We must consider also our in.
huence on Latin America. II we
adopt this new policy and turn our
energies from the arts of peace to
preparation for war. VIII not our
neighbor republics be urged to
follow our example7 Can we AFFORD
10 take the responsibility Of retard!ae