Semi-weekly herald., 1916-06-01

PIE Il ptduSiDie cause OF quarrel. II
is much more likely that if we are
not strong enough to maintain our
rights, including the assertion of the
Monroe doctrine, we shall be subject
| ed to series OF aggressions. The
prime needs in preparedness are to
| give us, first, the navy we require
and second the regular army. Here
let it suffice to say that such a
navy, such an army, would be our
best insurance against war and for
peace.
But the navy and the regular army
are not enough. Exactly as back of
the navy should stand the army, so
back of the army should stand the
nation. / speak to and on behalf of
nation of free men. / ask that we
II this generation be loyal to the
memories of our fathers, and be ready
at need to pay with our own bodies
for our own principles.
Farmers and their wives do not
wish war They do not wish their
sons to go to war if war can be
egitimately avoided But they feel
that if the nation does get into a
fight they wish their sons to take
part in that fight, and in such event
they wish them to be able to take
care of themselves and not be mere
y helpless victims of fever or of
bullets.
Napoleon drew his marshais from
he humbest ranks simply because
they We're the best men for the job;
in a Democratic army promotion
should go by merit. l ask the plain
people of the United States, ! ask
he farmers, the wage workers, the
]rdinary men, to give their sons the
anne chance that the sons of wealth
or men have. Make the opportun-
ty open to all; to your sons, to my
ions; to all on an even basis.
And to you men of the Grand Army
nd you Confederate veterans, need
'ot say this in effect was what was
lone in the Civil war, of course, the
len who had been trained at West
7oint had the initial advantage; but
,veryone went into the ranks on even
erms and men from the ranks rose to
he highest position on their merits.
Remember always that what / ask
> asked in the name of peace and in
ne name of democracy, no less than
., tho mama Of potinpol bonnr ,pi
interest. II is the men who do not
'elieve in peace-at-any-pr who are
most apt TO secure the peace which
alf-respecting men and women can
lccept.
Little Switzerland is at peace at
his moment because she was prepar-
II and only because she was prepar-
d. In the Napoeonic wars Swift
erland was overrun by French, Ger
nan and Russian armies. A century
ater war even greater burst over
europe. Switzerland's natural boun-
!aries and defenses are exactly what
ihey were; the temptation to use her
erritory is precisely as great for the
lelligerents, but Switzerland had pre-
Jared, and therefore Switzerland to-
,ay is at peace. This applies as much
. industry as to national defense.
70 let the interstate transportation
stem of the country, for example,
g regulated by 48 conflicting SOW
-eignties, is just rs foolish as to
rust to 48 conflicting sovereignties
IA military affairs.
| stand with all my heart for mil
ary preparedness; but no one knows
better than that military prepared
ness alone can neither make nor main
tain great nation. If any man,
whether workingman or capitalist be-
lieves that he owes nothing to this
country the sooner he gets out of
the country the better, for he is un-
fit to do good to himself or anyone
else.
A nation, to survive, must stand
Tor the principles of social and indus
trial justice.
A protective tariff with the du-
ties adjusted outside of factional poll
tics is essential in the industrial world
today.
What we need in public men is per
| formance, not promise; to treat. a
platform merely as means of get
ting office, not as a covenant to be
kept in office, is demoralizing both
to the public and the servants of the
public. No nation is really great, no
race entitled to permanent position
Of leadership or of equality on this
earth, unless its sons are willing to
die at need for great ideals.
| ask that we prepare, not be
couse ! wish war, but because with
all my heart desire to keep war