Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-06-01
Preparedness for War and Peace

danger to, adequate preparedness in this
country. 1t is the attitude OF business men,
Of every degree of bigness and littleness to-
ward military service by those they employ
We hear great deal nowadays about the
preparedness spirit. The Chamber of Com
merce of the United States, as the President
recalled i'll his address. has registered its ap-
prevail by vote practically unanimous.
Nearly every member of the chamber is in
favor of measures that will afford reasonable
assurance Of national 50 fety. Time soon will
demonstrate whether their zeal is real.
whether it includes a willingness to make
some personal sacrifice whether their
tual meaning is that the sacrifice should be
made by others.
Every who has had anything to do
with the National Guard knows how it has
been discouraged in the past Membership
in the guard has added nothing to the young
mans business chances, but rather has
counted against him. The employer was
likely to frown sombery on the imitation war
Of such "tin soldiers and to discourage in
every way he could attendance drills,
parades and encampments Where he was
not actively hostile, he was suleny resentful.
1t goes without saying that if the new
army bill, with Its quadrupled National Guard,
its regular army reserve and it's provision for
training camps on the Plattsburg plan, is to
have any chance of success, there must be a
revolution in the attitude of large employers
toward military service. If these nice old
gentlemen mean half what they have been
saying, they will encourage their employees
to enlist. They cannot eat their cake and
have 1t; they cannot deny opportunity for
training and at the same time expect to see
the country protected. II it is the duty of
youth to enist--and it is, assuredly-it is
likewise the duty Of age to facilitate enlist
ment.
1t is TO the great credit of many large cor
poratons that they have announced in this
respect change OF heart and policy. Others
will have to fall in line, for unless we mis-
take the signs Of the times there will be- and
shortly, good deal of that "compulson of
the spirit" Of which the President speaks.
Actual disbursement of military service
hereafter will be neither popular nor finan-
cially profitable
Newspapers Of the type that think this
country should form an alliance with Britain,
France and Russia for the further prosecution
OF this war--and have said so-as we'll as
other journals Of bigoted Republicansm or
uncertain Democracy, have professed to be
displeased with the peace program the Presi-
dent announced at Charlotte They have in
sisted that Mr.. Wilson has advocated EN-
tangng alliances" with European powers
! and have recalled. in Mortified accents the
warnings OF George Washington. TO all such
doubtcrs the President has given their
answer
Mr. Wilson'S ideal Of league to enforce
peace is "A concord OF nations that would
guarantee public right against public aggres-
sion" He would gladly consent to dis
entangling alliance, alliance which would
disentangle the peoples of the world from
those combinations in which they seek their
own separate and private interests and unto
the people OF the world to preserve the peace
of the world upon basis of corsmon right
and Justice
The sort of alliance that existed before the
war among Germany, Austria and Italy or
between France and Russia, would be inn
possible, III the Presidents thought to this
nation. He would substitute agreement
to which the peoples OF the earth should be
parties, that would encourage concord. up
hold right, recognize the common interests
OF humanity and provide for the submission
of international differences to the unified con-
science Of civilization 1t is Il noble and in
spring thought. and it's realization may not
be SO far distant as the pessimist may believe.
The prophets of Immediate peace belong n