The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1916-02-18
PREPAREDNESS DISCUSSED
AS FIRST PATRIOTIC DUTY
Republican Leader and Democratic President in
Accord on Meeting Dangers from Without
the Country.

In his hrst address in New York
President. Wilson paid a tribute Of re-
spect to Congressman Mann and
sought to impress mis- audience with
the fact that all partisan. feeling
should--.be excluded In dealing with
the question OF National Prepared
ness. Mr. Mann is the Republican
leader in the House. He has patri-
otically taken his stand with the
Democratic president Ia behalf OF
Preparedness, snd his noble speech
Is published In The Recorder because
1t affords so much food FIR reflection
In the serious situation In which tile
President finds the country. Without
regard to partisan politics or exped-
iency MIR. Mann Is supporting Mr..
Wilson.
Mr.. Mann tells why it is wise for
US no~ to begin our preparation ,,
tie makes the point that, elf Eu-
ropes fighting nations can wipe out
party lines to prosecute war, so can
the United States to prevent war, +"
aud that home Industries should
be strengthened .as part of ouI Ma
tional Defense plan "
Mr.. Mann. Mr. Speaker, in the
quietude OF my garden last summer
and autumn reached certain conclu
sions which have hesitated TO ex-
press, thinking that | might modify
tlBem. But as time has gone on and
events have occurred it has seemed
to me more certain that my conclu-
sions were right than eren when
first reached them, and think, 10
justice to myself, and hope with
some slight benefit to the country,
ought 10 express those conclusions to
the House.
Ii is we'll knosn In the House that
l never have heen a believer In a
large standing army, and / suppose
that hsvee been.s probably properly
classed ia what Is sometimes referred
to as the ''little Navy men," But
wise men ought to be able to peer,
maybe indistinctly, into the future,
and to prepare today for what may
come tomorrow. The world Is In the
most anomalous condition which
M inkind has ever seen The great.
est struggle OF all the ages is going
on now between the most poWerful
forces OF the human race, between
great nations and combinations Of
nations, until We are the only large,
powerful nation not yet involved in
that struggle IL is breakup in the
world, each side not merely lighting
for its own existence, as 1t believes,
but as it seems to me, each side
fighting with the determination to
put the other side, as it were, out OF
business We have never had such a
thing In the world befJre, with the
same powerful lnhue noes at work.
The laws OF civilization, interna-
tional laws, the laws Of humanity,
are usually disregarded, at least more
or less, when two great forces are
lighting for mastery With two men
fighting, each believing that he is
lighting for his life, each determined
To take the life OF the ther, neither
pays much attention to the desires,
the requests or the demands Of some
less powerful person not engaged In
the conflict,
/ do not knew, and no one knows,
what will result from the present
var. No one knows Ahether the ag-
Vression of one side or the other
against our interests, may possibly
against our desirs and contrary TO
our wishes now, finally lead US, per
naps not into this struggle but into
some struggle which is the outcome
Of this one. / doubt whether paper
peace between the two struggling
parties now, even II 1t could be en-
tered into, Soud be even the begin.
ming Of the end. think the present
conflict is likely 70 last fur many
years before It IS definitely deter.
mined either that one side OF the
other Is toe master or that neither
can become the master. Ana il
seems to me that the part Of W 9iom
for Us Is q fairly prepare ourselves
for any possible trouble whicu may
come. Loud applause.
1t may be that We wiIl have no
trouble. l hope not. In this Ssr l
sm neutral / think we ought "a
2 tnaiRtain peace at all hazards. And
yet the time may come when se Sili
not have the determination shethet
Ne can maintain peace or not, be.
"a Use, however much We may desire
/ peace. ii is DOT within our power,
Eith The feelings which Ee have, tc
stand aggression too far. It win d