The Churchill county standard. (Fallon, Nev.) 1908-1920, 1916-01-12
Views Undergo Change After
Study of Conditions Grow
ing Out of War

senator hey I1llmdD Oh nevada,
newly chosen democratic member
of the Committee on Naval Affairs,
authorizes the N. Y. Herald to an
nounce that his attitude toward ma
tional preparedness for war has un-
dergone a complete change as a re-
suit of careful study of conditions
which brought about the conflict
now in progress in Europe.
When he came to the Senate
three years ago Senator Pittman
believed that all disputes could be
settled by court of arbitration, and
he was therefore opposed to heavy
armament for the United States.
He has now come to the conclusion
that peaceful settlement of differ
ences between nations is impossible
so long as such nations are suspici-
Gus and distrustful of the motives,
honor and integrity of each other"
Senator Pittman is therefore con-
vinced that the United States should
have powerful navy to prevent
war
In defending his position the SEN
ator advances line of argument
which has not heretofore command
ed the attention of those who are
interested in national defense to the
extent he believes it should be con-
sidered His idea is that the United
States, by reason of its strategic po-
sition, the form OF Tvs government,
the history, character and ambitions
of its people must of necessity be of
dominant influence in the progress
of the world, and to such end must
be so equipped that it can constitute
itself the balance of power in world
politics and thus be able to conf
IDENTIFY demand and maintain the re-
quirements of civilization without
the necessity of resorting to war.
1.-The United States" said Sena-
tor Pittman, while not involved in
the European war, is involved both
politically and commercially by the
war, and always will DE SO involved
by great European or Asiatic wars
l believe that the prosperity OF th'
people of the country in every wall
of life and the progress of the gov
ernment are absolutely dependen
upon the maintenance of American
principles and the protection o.
American citizens and American
commerce in every part of the world
have far less fear of an invasion
of this country than l have of the
destruction of the lives of American
citizens and American commerce.
am not an advocate of a large
standing army.
1T is astounding that so many OF
our citizens do not realize that the
destruction of our foreign commerce
would bring upon our country
most disastrous calamity that would
extend to every industry and ever,
walk of life. The prosperity of this
country depends upon its ability tc
market its surplus products abroad
Deprive us of that power for one
year and the factories would close
the mines shut down, the farms
grow up in weeds, our vast ranges
now stocked with fattening herds o.
cattle and horses, would be aband
oned, mortgages would be foreclose6
without means to satisfy and fiftf
of our population would be deprived
of the means of earning livelihood
And yet it is within the power of {
foreign nation or group of foreign
nations to bring upon us such a ca
lamity and who can say, in the light
of present events, that no nation o.
group of nations would have the de
sire to accomplish such a purpose?
I'm my opinion the only way tha
such an eventuality would be pre-
vented is by the United States pos
sessing a sufficient navy to make
such an act too dangerous to an,
foreign Power or group of Powers
when l came to the senate l wal
a strong believer in the creation o
an international tribunal for th'
settling of all international disputes
The principles enunciated at Th'
Hague especially appealed to me
AS principles l still believe that the.
are correct, but experience has con
clusively demonstrated that they car