Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-16
HAVE RIGHT TO
ASK FOR PREPAREDNESS
Our National Honor Should Be Pre-
served, Says Rev. c. n. Ricketts,.

served, Says Rev. c. H. Ricketts,.
We have the right to ask for that
preparedness that shall protect the
lives and property Of American citi-
zens: that shall maintain the national
honor and shall preserve the national
flag from being trampled in mire,
said Rev. Charles II. Ricketts,. in his
shop talk on The Instinct of Prepared
ness conducted at the Richmond Ra-
diator company under the auspices OF
the Y. NJ. {. \. Tuesday noon.
The long pending question of the
attitude OF our government in assert
ing the rights of American citizens
abroad was suddenly brought to eli
max last week, said Rev. Mr.. Rick
etts, when Francisco Villa, 4 contempt
ible Mexican outlaw, deliberately in
vaded United States territory and
slaughtered nearly a score Of peace
full citizens without any provOCatiOn.
Very likely the real spirit OF our gov
eminent is misunderstood by outside
nations. out il is none the less unfor-
tunate that the impression has been
created abroad that we are nothing
but a flock of fat sheep with no pro-
lection that any mongrel cur can
worry and bite at will. All evidence
goes to show that the opinion pre-
walls among the nations at large that
the authority at Washington is either
Indifferent to the rights OF its own
subjects or is unable to protect them.
There was a time when names like
Grant and Lee. Farra gut and Dewey
gained applause and received respect
everywhere in the civilized world. In
| those days Mexican bandits and Tur-
! kish officials did not tear the stars
7 and stripes into shreds. neither did
| the bigger nations deliberately sink
ships known to carry American sub
| jects.
There is no use in trying to dis
| guise the fact that for sometime there
| has been in this country n deep I'M
dergrowl over the treatment Ameri-
| can subjects have received in different
parts of the world: treatment th0t
violates the fundamental principles of
| existing international law. For one
| | claim there is some righteousness
as well rs justice. in this widespread
| feeling of disatifaction. This feeling
is grounded in the instinct Of protec-
| ton. Self preservation is the first
| law of nature" is an old maxim and
| a true one. 1t is interesting to study
how wonderfully the lower animals
are provided with means of self-de-
| Tense, otherwise they would have nc
| show in the struggle for existence In
| stinct means to tell these animals
| that they must fight or be eXtermi-
mated. The mother loves in the fe-
lanes of most species is so strong
llldI lleN VIII lnelT OIlSDIln2s
| to the sacrifice of their ogn lives. This
| is the instinct of protection that ap.
plies to human beings and nations as
well as 20 the lower animals.
We are constantly reminded how in.
Stinctively we protect ourselves. Wher
danger is near the eye Involuntary
| closes. When we hear the horn of al
automobile We look and start bacl
quite apart from an act of thought
Think for moment the safeguard
nature builds around every bodily or
gan like the eye, ear. lungs. heart
nerves; the encasement of the brain
is a veritable Nerdun. Why do W,
wear oVercoats and furs in winter
linen and straw in summer? Com
fort, do you say? But would there b
any comfort If our clothing did no
protect us, in the former case. from
the cold and in the latter from tn
heat?
why do our laws provide for fac
tory inspectors? To protect worlxin
men and women. Why does legisla
ton make II harder every year to Sc
rum? To protect the very existenc
: of the state. Why do the public sta
; tutes hold up the hand of warning be
fore gambling, prostitution. opium sell
ing and other poisonous drugs? T
/ protect weak people from the SLAYER
of their own habits.
Why do we lock our doors and win
> dows at night! Supposedly to proteC
t our property, possibly our lives, fror
thieves as vicious as those who rob
= bed the dead after the battle OF Wa
terloo. Why do We send an escol
with the young girl who has to z
through ont of our dark alleys Z
night? To protect her from huma
vultures as far from the Golden Rul
as the earth is from Neptune. VIII
do men and women who themselve
turn down the church Of God like
have their children go and also I
Sunday school? Simply to proteC
them from non-church influences. VIII
did St. Paul hold up such a Christia
armor? Because men and women
the latest generation would need pre-
lection from degrading influences.
Look at the question from the ecc
nomic standpoint. / do not beliey
there is a citizen who has America
heart who does not believe in III
protection OF home industries. Thei
may be wide differences of view as
the best means of securing this but "
preferential to us.
Does not the father look upon him
self as the divinely appointed guar
dian OF the family to protect 4
| rights, to keep the name unsullied.
maintain its honor? By parity of res
soning I believe that the people
| the United States have a right to d,
mand the same thing of the govern
| ment. Not that the government shou
carry a chip on its shoulder 'breatl
ing forth threatening and slaughter
but that it should be able TO prote