The Monte Vista journal., 1916-05-20

opportunities and its resources during
times of peace will not have those re-
sources in full command in times of war
Any nation that is wasteful of its wealth;
any nation that neglects the welfare of its
citizens in times of peace will not have the
full fighting force to dispose of in times of
war. Let me illustrate; how can this ma
ton be fully prepared for war when we
have several million underfed people in
the great cities of this commonwealth?
How can this nation have a physically fit
fighting force when we have two and one
half million children under fifteen years of
age working in the various factories of
this land, and of those two million and
half, one and one-half millions are under
ten years of age How can those chill
dren with long hours. poor working con-
ditons, poor living conditions. inadequate
food and water supply-how can they
grow up into strong fighting men-into
strong mothers? How can this nation be
prepared for a long and devastating war
when we throw enough food into the garb-
age can every day to keep an army of five
million men supplied?
There is not merely question of mill
tary and naval preparedness. There Is
such thing social preparedness. A
nation must take care of the best interests
of all it's people; there must be strong
healthy men, strong healthy mothers, and
a contented, well educated, inspired popu-
lation, in order that the best struggle may
be put up in times of national invasion
and warfare.
Now, am not preparedness advocate.
l don't feel that that is a question that
ought to be talked of long. There is an
other question which l hope will supplant
the consideration of national preparedness,
and that is the establishment of an inter-
national state. Never before was there
such a crying need for the establishment
of some such satisfactory organization that
will 10 hot,
Just our Federal Courts settle disputes
between states of this nation. Never be-
fore was there such crying need for the
maintenace and establishment of definite
written law concerning international rela-
tions as just at the present time never
before was there such an opportunity to
bring out the evils of this lack of inter-
| national organization, and the devastating
character of war. One need not dwell on
that. All OF you have been reading the
papers and seeing the illustrated supple
ments showing how terrible this war is
This nation Is perhaps the best fitted ma
| ton to begin an international movement
We have representatives in this country of
| all of the beligerent nations of Europe
These American citizens have friends and
brothers and uncles on the war front in
Europe, but they are in America, are liv-
ing in peace and harmony. Here in this
country, all of the nations of the world
are living peacefully without any conflict
and it ought to be the duty of America to
do what can be done at present and in the
future to carry on an educational cam
paign in this national and in all the other
nations of the world in favor of interna-
tonal peace, and for the establishment of
an effective International government that
will make war. if not impossible, at least
less frequent
There are duties that we as members of
a great American republic. as graduates
of a public school system exponents of
| the best and most progressive things that
this nation has produced-there are
things that we should do, and therefore in
conclusion, let me once more recommend
| that not only this class. but all of you
who have been through our public schools
all of you who are interested in the well
fare of this republic-that you maintain
| an unchanging interest in those things
| that this nation stands for; that you will
| always do your duties as voters and office
| holders; that you will always keep abreast
of the times by reading the best literature
available, and that you will never neglect
| your relation to the public school and citi-
| zenship.