Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-03
HOW SHALL WE PREPARE?

HOW SHALL WE PREPARE?
The American people seem to be
pretty generally agreed that the Unit.
ed States as a nation is facing a crisis
and ought to prepare to meet it. There
have also sprung up a large number OF
different ideas as to how We ought to
prepare. Unless we can agree upon a
method, the result will be either u
compromise or nothing at all. So it is
for you to carefully consider these diff
ferent ways Of getting ready and de-
eide which one you are going to sup
port. ..E
In the first place, there are the pacif-
~icists. These ladies and gentlemen
believe that we should prepare to as
sumo our place as an international
force by abolishing the army and navy.
and meeting belligerents with areu-
ment and persuasion. This method is
simple, inexpensive and actuated by
the highest ideals, But it is purely ex-
perimental, and for this eason does
not appeal to the majority of practical
minded Americans as a proper. expedi-
ent in a crisis.
Those who agree that we can best
insure peace by preparing to fight are
very much divided as t how We should
60 about it. All Of them state that we
should increase our navy, and there is
only n way to do this: namely, by
building ships and manning them.
When is comes to land forces; how
ever, it is more difficult to agree upon
a method.
To strengthen the regular army,
would seem the most direct and the
easiest way to increase Jul land forces.
All advocates Of preparedness are
agreed that we should increase the
regular army but to recruit all of our
necessary strength in this way is i'm.
practicable because of the tremendous
expense. Half a million men are need
ed for the proper defense of contin-
entail United States in case Of war. To
support a regular army of this size
would be an unjustifiable burden. The
regular army, therefore, will be made
only large enough to police u over
seas possessions and give us a mobile
force in continental America of per.
haps fifty thousand men enough to
take care Of internal and border
troubles. o. 14..
This leaves about four hundred
thousand troops to be raised from
among the citizens of the United
States, and it is here that the great
differences of opinion become mani
fest. There are three principal meth
DDS by which these troops might be
raised; namely, by introducing com
pulsory military service, by strength.
ening the state militia. or by using
the present volunteer army system,
with notifications, to- raise a force. OF
the required size in time of peace.
Each of these methods has a strong
backing. The latter is the so-called
continental army plan, which is being
advocated by the administration.
ALI military experts assert that com
pulsory military service is the only ef-
'fective way to be prepared for war,
and that the United States will never
be safe against attack until this plan
is adopted. The abstract argument in
favor Of compulsory service is prac-
tically perfect if you grant that the ma
ton should be defended at all. For 1t
must. then, be the duty of the citizens
to defend it. and a duty Is essentially
compulsory. To wait until there is war
and then rely upon volunteers for de.
tense is in reality about as practicable
as waiting until the country faces
bankruptcy and then calling upon vol
unteers to pay taxes. Compulsory ser
vice In this country would probably