The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-01-30

urnL VIC Hdfc uculcdLcu NuA ANAS ~
the
Service Of Justice
and Righteousness and peace and
America has done more than care
for her own people and think OF her
own fortunes in these great matters.
She has said ever since the time OF
President Monroe that she was the
champion OF freedom and the separ-
ate sovereignty of peoples throughout
the western hemisphere. She not.
only therefore, must play her part
in Keeping this 'conflagration from
speaking to the people OF the United
States; she must also keep this con-
migration from speaking on this sioe
OF the sea.
Sorry They Occur Now.
"Tor my part I am sorry that
these things fall within the year OF
"a national political campaign. They
ought to have nothing whatever to
do with politics. The thing to DO
now Is for all men OF all parties TO
think along the same lines and to 40
the same things and forget every di1-
ference that may have divided them.
"And what ought they to do! In
the first place they ought to tell the
truth. There have been some extra
ordinary ex~aggerations both OF the
military weakness and the military
strength of the country.
Take for example, the matter or
our coast defenses. 1t Is obvious to
every man they are Of the most vital
Importance to the country. Such
coast defenses as we have are strong
and admirable, but we have not got
coast defenses in enough places.
Their quality Is admirable but their
quantity Is insufficient,
THE navy of the United States:
You have been told that 1t Is the
second in strength In the world. l
am sorry to say that experts do not
agree with those who tell you that.
Reckoning by its actual strength, l
believe 1t to be one Of the most eff
cient navles Of the world; but Its
strength ranks fourth, not second,
And you must reckon with the fact
that it is necessary that that should
be our first arm Of defense.
Lack Men.
Where we are lacking more per-
haps is on land and in the number OF
men who are ready to fight, Some
men are born troublesome, some men
have trouble thrust upon them, and
other men acquire trouble. j think
| belong to the second class. But the
characteristic desire Of America is
not that. 1t should have a great body
OF men whose chief business is to
fight, but,a great body Of men who.
know how to fight and who are ready
to fight when anything that is dear
to the nation Is threatened.
What we want is to associate in
training with the army Of the United.
States mon who will volunteer for a
sufficient length Of time every year
to get the rudimentary acquaintance
with arms, the rudimentary skill in
handling them, the rudlmentary &C.
quaintance with camp life, the rudi-
mentary acquaintance with military
drill and discipline.
II have heard it stated that there
are probably several million men in.
this country who have received a suf-
ficient amount Of military drill
either here or in the countries In
which they were born and from
which they have come to us. That
is not military preparation. Military
preparation consists in the existence
OF such a body Of men known to the
federal authorities organized provis-
ionally by the federal authorities and
subject by their own choice and will
to the immediate call of the federal
authorities.
Can Not Postpone.
I'VE have no such body Of men in
the United States except the national
guard. Now l have a very great re-
spect for the national guard. l be-
lieve that the Congress Of the United
States ought to do and that it will do
a great deal more for the national
guard. than It ever has done; and
everything ought to be done to make
it a model military arm, but that is
not the arm that we are Immediately
interested in. We are interested in
knowing that there are men all over
the United States prepared, equipped
and ready to go out at the call OF the
national government upon the short
est possible notice. You will ask me
why do you say the shortest possible
notice. Because, gentlemen, let me
tell you very solemnly, you cannot
afford to postpone this thing. l do not
know what a single day may bring
forth.
81 do not wish to leave you with the
impression that ! am thinking OF some
particular danger. / mostly want to
leave you this solemn impression that
l know that we are daily treadtng
amidst the most intricate dangers, and
that the dangers that W. r treading
amongst are not Of our making and
are not under our control; and that 70
man in the United States knows what
a single week or a single day or a
single hour may bring forth.
No Love of Power.
1.-THE United States is not in 1--we
with the aggressive use OF power. 1t
despises aggressive use Of power.
There is not a privilege which VIC
ourselves enjoy which we would
dream of denying any other nation in
the world. If there is n thing that
the American people love and believe
in more than another it is peace, and
~ A. larjza,,o t1i,o, 1I,ok kai,N~