The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-03-29
THE LOGIC OF PREPAREDNESS

which gave the presidents recent
speeches in the west their convincing
power as arguments, was the cogency
of the thought, notably emphasized
in the addresses at Kansas City and
Des Moines that in the
American people and their represen-
tatives in congress is vested the pow
er and the duty of imparting to exc
cutive protest the uttermost meas
ure of weight and efficiency of which
it is capable.
'Do you want said President
Wilson, at Des Moines, 1.-The situation
to be such that all the president can
do is to write messages and utter
words of protest." In that one SEN
tence is to be found the very core of
the preparedness issue.
Consciousness of the nations re-
sponsibility under circumstances so
momentous--a consciousness already
keen in the American public and
/ rousing itself to efficacious endeavor
has been wrought to a still greater
pitch of earnestness, still more
energetic determination to metamor-
phose purpose into deed, by the
words of the president. His grave,
Impressive plea for reinforcement of
protest by preparedness, has brought
about clearer understanding of the
attributes of both, and of the rela-
| tions of each to the other. And,
without faint of bitterness, without
hint of personal repartee or partisan
rejoinder, but by sheer force of logic
1t answers and refutes the censure
which has been most frequently re-
peated, of those which have been
aimed against the president and his
| international policy.
In their double task of maintain
ing the national world, it has been
| the lot of President Wilson and his
+, department of state, to send more
important notes and protests to other
governments, than were ever sent by
any other president and department
of state, in the same length of time.
And because of the number of these
communications, necessitated by the
extraordinary conditions during the
past year and half, President Will
son has been accused OF mistaking
profusion of writing for plentitude
of effort-Of placing words higher
than action.
This senseless differentiation of
the worth of the craftsmanship
which has kept the country out of
war-this harsh Misrepresentation
of the presidents character and hab-
it's of mind-must now stand abash-
ed before Woodrow Wilson's exact
| estimate, both of the extent of the
proper field of protest, and it's limi-
tations. Nobody knows better than
President Wilson that there may be
exigencies wherein more than pro-
test is required.
But, till We are compelled to resort
to instrumentalities stronger than
protest, it is only justice to ourselves.
justice to whom protests are made,
that remonstrance shall have all the
,, force and efficiency of what it is
capable. Protests without prepared
ness sufficient to back them up, are
like a check when there is no money
in the bank-like a note drawn by "a
man who has neither property nor
credit.
The president does not want, and
the country does not want. argument.
appeal, rebuke, or expostulation, to
be our only, or our main reliance in !
case of need. No matter with what |
skill negotiations are carried on,
and the skill which has kept this !
country clear of getting entaneled in
the world war, is masterly-diplol
macy is not the last resort of nations |
We hope protest will suffice, but |
the time may come when it will not. |,
But of this we may remain assured, |
that protest, vitalized and made sub |
stantial by preparedness. will serve
the purpose of protest better, will |
keep the country longer in the peace |
which is consonant with honor, than
could any protest without the ma |
terial means of national defense :
Preparedness as indispensable to