New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-05-02
T. the Editor Of The Tribune.

T the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: was much interested in the letter
that you printed in your issue or the 10th
inst. and which you appropriately entitled
Preparedness Arguments Fine EX-
ample Of Loose Thinking
attended the meeting held in Carnegie
Hall on April to hear The Truth About
Preparedness" and enjoyed listening to
some unusually fine examples Of thinking
that were both loose and intensely unpatri-
otto. There was huge sign hung over the
stage entitled Democracy Against Miltar-
ISM" and in her Introductory remarks the
temporary chairman stated that the advo-
Gates Of preparedness we're attempting to
ssturate the country with miltsrism.
why" said she. they are even attempt
rg to invade our public schools with mill
tsrism by establishing and teaching uniyer-
sai military service there"
n universal military service spells mill
tarism 70 the promoters OF that meeting,
suggest that they revise their slogan 10 r-ad
democracy Against Universal Military Ser
vice And then, perhaps, some one Of them
can suggest something more democratic than
universal service.
Congressman Dies, Of Texas. who has lately
been given to much loose thinking and talk
ing on preparedness. contributed the follow
ing: j ask these advocates Of preparedness
what is the matter with our navy and they
say: We haven't any battle-cruisers, and
battle-cruisers, because Of their great speed
are the eyes or the navy Now / ask you
what does our navy need Of eyes? Every
naval tsctician in Washington assures me
that no foreign power would attempt TO land
troops on our coast until our battleshp feet
was either destroyed or bottled up. r. then.
II DC true that foreign feet before landing
troops has got 10 shoot up or bottle up our
battle feet, pray what need has our navy for
eyes? A navy for offence may need eyes to
search out an enemy in foreign waters, but
navy for defence applause needs no eyes"
II the subject were not so serious tn. re-
marks of the Congressman would be desery-
ing OF amusement only. / presume it never
occurred 10 Mr.. Dies that while our battle
ship feet. without eyes. was awaiting the
enemy or the Nirginan Capes the enemy
fleet could shoot up ten billion dollars worth
OF property in the seaports Of our North At
lantic coast; or while our battleship fleet
without eyes, was confidently awaiting the .
enemy off Sandy Hook, the hostile feet could
shoot up our navy yard al Norfolk, together
with our Southern scaports wonder # Il
was the ostrich who suggested 20 Mr. Dies
that the best way to guard yourself is 70 stick
your head into the nearest sandhill
Alfred j. Boulton. Of the New York State
Federation OF Labor. spent fifteen minutes Of
valuable time on the theme: Guns without
industrial preparedness are useless; there
fore. let's not have the guns
Though appreciate that these remarks
have already grown ovcrlong. / cannot close
-
II. Maurer, the man who was credited early
this week with saying "To hell with the stars
and Stripes" / see by the papers that he
now denie. ,aying Il, and his statement IS
substsntlated by several witnesses. But any
one who heard him speak at Carnegie Hall
cannot only credit him with wishing the
stars and Stripes IN hell, but doing his level
best 70 put them there. His appeal was TO
tho uarrowe5t and most selfish instincts Of
class feeling. and he stated that neither he
nor any OF hi, fellows had anything in this
country OF ours to fight for. have an idea
that Mr.. Naurer has what appears 70 he =
very good job that certainly ought n he
worth lighting for. In concluding his re-
marx, Mr. Maurer burst into the following
patriotic declaration: 81 absolutely refuse 10
shed a single drop Of my blood. or recon-
mend any OF my class to do so, to fight any
ones battles but our own"
| presume Mr.. Maurer believes that the
United States was created by himself and
those who think with him AS a private pre-
serv. for the exploitation Of their own selfish
interests. recommend TO such as he care
ful study OF the lives and deeds Of the found
crs OF this nation, beginning with Captain
John Smith, and | respectfully suggest that
this great country our native land owes It's
existence to the unsclhsh devotion Of all