Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-05-31
PROUTY ON PREPAREDNESS.

Yesterdays observance of Decora-
ton day here was carried out as
planned. The dedication of the monu-
ment to the dead soldiers was success
and Rev. II. B. Rankin's address an in
spiratiou. In the afternoon the address
by Hon. c. A. Prouty in Lanes opera
house drew good sized audience.
Mr.. Prouty dealt principally with
the question of preparedness. At one
point. Mr.. Prouty said:
"It is urged that preparedness will
prevent war and the disasters of war.
This is not true. The first thing which
I desire to impress upon each one of
you is the fact that preparedness does
not prevent war; it produces war. But
for preparedness the present war never
would have existed. 1t was because
Germany had prepared magnificent
military machine because France had
spent fifty years in making. ready to
retake from her ancient enemy the
possessions which she had lost because
England had built up the greatest navy
in the world and insisted that it should
continue so; because even Russia from
her vast area was putting herself in
the twinkling of an eye without warn
ing the greatest war in all time was
raging.
IA few miles north of where I stand
is an imaginary line which we call
Canada line. 1t runs for 5000 miles
across the North American continent.
To the north of it is the Dominion of
Canada, a vast country with an extern
sive pOpulation. To the south of it ia
the United States of America, the
richest and most populous civilized
country in the world. Along this line
which separates these two coun.
tries, is no single fertilization. On
those lakes which form for a
considerable part Of the distance the
boundary, there is no warship. Can
you imagine war between the United
States and Canada? Such a thing
would be impossible. But suppose
now that our frontier bristled with
forts, that the Great Lakes were
covered with battleships, that in either
country millions of soldiers could be
modified in weeks time. Who can
tell what might happen? The very
fact that two nations are ready to
fight directs attention to that possibjli-
ty and finally precipitates that con-
test. I have never talked with an
intelligent man, who did not admit
that this war never could have resulted
as it did but for the preparedness of
the nations engaged"
After discussing at some length the
question Of an increase in our standing
army and the advisability of this
nation suggesting peace, Mr.. Prouty
summed up by saying: "The things,
then, which should be done today in
the way of military preparedness seem
to be these:
81. To provide an adequate army
for the preservation of internal order
in the United States.
'2. To maintain a navy next to
that of England and to begin such a
naval program at once as will produce
that result.
"3. Whether a further land force
may be necessary to repel a possible
foreign invasion will depend upon the
course of events at the conclusion OF
the present war. Should such a force
be deemed necessary, it should be or.
ganized upon some basis of universal
compulsory service.
1.-THE thing most to be feared anc
most to be avoided is the development
of military spirit"
Then came keen analyzation of thu
commercial struggle that is to follow
the war, and finally the speaker said:
Elm the past the great advantage O.
the United States over all foreign
competitors has been its cheap natura
resources. Land was abundant. Gu
virgin forests were of great extent
Mines of every kind were upon tn
surface and the expense of mining wa
comparatively slight. All this i
rapidly changing; indeed, has alread
changed. Our lands are taken up an
have increased enormously in price
At the same time the fertility O
our soil is being exhausted. Gu
forests in many parts Of the coun
try have already vanished and ar
everywhere becoming depleted withou
any measures for their preservation
Our best mines are being exhauste
and the cost of all kinds of mining is in
creasing. The time is at hand when w
must make more economical use of GU
lands and of their products. The yiel
of our fields must be Increased; on
forests must be reproduced; our peopl
must be taught. to live in other an
more economical ways. Unless thes
lessons of preparedness are inculcate
we shall find ourselves at tremendou
disadvantage in the struggle of civil
cation. Let it never be forgotten tina
NY