The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-11

: ana ability to understand the facts, TO
reduce politics to tho minimum. to re-
( dues ever thing that TENDS TO weigh
4 us dcSA with unnecessary talk to the
J NJ !niuam 20 get at tha facts Of our
life ana teAriessly obtain that which
"a Essential TO our security and prog
ross
Il stand for preparedness; ! stand
for America ready to meet whatever
! emergency SHE 10 called upon to meet.
do not believe that this country
should ever surrender because she haa
failed 10 take proper precaution and
TO present herself to the world as a
nation able, to make good: what she
says In defense of rights known to be
Just.
The same indomnitabie spirit that
gave US our union. that esta hlished
this government. still exists in the
American people, The same spirit that
conserved this union nifty years ago
the spirit which demanded that the
union should be indestructibIe-sti
persists In the American people, We
do not wish conflict. We are opposed
to strife We want peace and good
order. We covet nothing. We are not
aiming ut any aggresStv" policy. We
are not trying to interfere with any
body's business or with thinga that
do not concern us.
Defend American Rights.
"8ut when the rights of American
citizens are involved, and that which
we are entitled to have under In
tcrnational law is denied American
spirit and the zone OF American JUS
tlce demands that we shall be ready
and able TO carry forth our demands
and that readiness and ability shall
1o
he drawn into unnecessary conflicts
We have had a speCtacle--we now have
down on the border. OF unpreparnd-
ness; Of failure to take note In ad-
vance Of obvious conditions, OF a lack
Of foresight Of lack OF ordinary de-
cent preparation for that which is
likely to happen at any time.
We talk sometimes about a reas-
enable increase in our regular army as
though We were in danger of mtitar.
ism IN this country Why. we are SO
far away from militarism or any sort
Of mtlltaristie sentiment in this coun-
try that II Is almost an insult to tha
American people to discuss Il.
Need Reasonable Precaution.
We are however. in need of reas-
enable precaution. why cannot the
American people protect the border
without calling out men and boys from
all the shops and factories and offices
throughout the United States and put
n lot. OF raw recruits down there on
the border to the service to which
they are assigned. Arc we not great
enough nation 10 have sufficient fore
sight are we not "A great enough ma
ton 20 be able to protect our Dor
ders IN sensible fashion by means
OF sensible preparedness? I believe
the American people feel we should
have no militastic preparation, but
adequate preparation to assure our
peace and security.
Whenever we have right under
international law. the fact we have
that right ia known to every foreign
office. II Is known to every person
in charge Of foreign relations. II we
allow ourselves to state that right in
a arm and determined manner il should
carry conviction to every one who
recognizes the right that we enjoy.
There should be no vocillation In con-
nection with that assertion. Weakness
breeds insult. insult breeds war Hon
cst, firm. consistent. deter ruined de-
Tense of known rights establishes
peace and respect throughout the
world"