Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1916-03-24
PREPAREDNESS THE SLOGAN.

of our present mlX-up WIN MEXICO Is
going to result in, and may He grant
that no unnecessary confusions and
mischievous Weddings or interior
ences will arise to create new and
unlocked for troubles. AS conditions
now confront this country it remains
only a matter of chance as to whether
We will capture Villa or be forced 20
subdue Mexico. To say the least of it,
Il is nasty, troublesome fix in which
We find ourselves.
So far as we have gone, of course,
there was nothing else we could do
and no one but the demagogue would
question it, but as everyone knows the
Mexican is an uncertain quantity and
cannot be depended on, except as to
their dislike and suspicion of Ameri-
vans. Villa is not a fool, as has been
clearly demonstrated, and it looks
new as though he may have calculated
with a greater degree of accuracy on
the sentiments and the public opinion
Of his cOuntrymen than we at first
supposed 1t looks now as though it
IS quite possible, and very highly prob
allie, that Carranza will yet have to
bow to the public opinion upon which
seemingly Villa has placed his all,
ard upon which he takes his last
stand. That our plans are peaceful
and our intentions righteous, may or
may not have restraining effect upon
the Mexicans, the fact remains that it
is only matter of chance, or the will
Of an overruling Providence that will
keep us from further complications
and serious consequences.
The unpleasant gravity of the situa>
ton drives home lesson, and that is
that Pancho Villa would not have un-
Gertaken what he has, had he not
ealized how totally unprepared FOR
var we were; yet in the face of all
this, the anti-preparedness cranks and
the spineless pacifsts still sweetly
chirp that to prepare is to invite war,
which shows that when men make a
religious creed of their political poll.
Cies nothing can change them, and if
let alone would send the country to
the demnition bow-wows, rather than
surrender their cranky ideas.
So far as this goes, however, no one
wants to change them, but we do want
to keep them from bringing an unnec-
essary disaster and making converts to
their irrational doctrines.
Just as we were attacked by Villa
on our frontier border, we could be
attacked by some other foreign ma
Fon and put to the necessity Of fight
ing back for our national protection.
Suppose such condition should arise,
which is not at all improbable, what
about our preparedness? The thought
is appalling when we think of our lin.
tied soldiery and meagre fighting
equipment, hence it behooves this
country to get busy and be ready to
fight, if the time ever comes, and God
grant it may not.
To our mind, Villa has been playing
a shrewd game; it has been his pur.
pose all along to bring us into con-
hlct with Carranza in order to sub
serve his own ends and to a man III
a tree it looks as though ere long he
will have reached what he was driv-
Jig at. And just as long as we re
main unprepared we invite national
disaster and offer deliberate in.
ducements for other nations to do
just what the Mexicans have done.
When the attack comes there is no
question as to what we will do. or
what course we will pursue, but as tho
cid saying has it, an ounce of proven
ton is worth a pound of cure. So let
US get to work and provide for the dav
that may come. Now that we are talk.
en- up with Villa in Mexico we are all
the more exposed to the schemes an4
plans Of other foreign powers, Wills