New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-14

uSpd 10 look forward 10 was Hciy "a
certainty. Some of the old days IN the
army. | fancy, were not very interest
ing DAYS. Sometimes men IKE tht
present chief of staff. for example
could fiji their lives with the lnteIes'
of really knowing and understand
the Indians of the western rams
knowing what was going on inside OF
their minds and being able 10 De the
intermediary between them ana mus
who dealt with them, by speaking IheII
sign language could enrich their IlVes
but the ordinary life OF an ORDINARY
officer at a Western post couId nol
have been very exciting, ana l thlnA
with admiration of those quii yeais
through which officers who had not q
,-root deal 10 do insisted, nevertheless,
1non being efficient and worth while
and keeping their men Mt at any rate
for the duty TO which they were as
signed.
troordinarv possibilities, because, gen
tIemen. no man can certainly tell you
What the immediate future is going 70
he either in the history of this country
or in the history of the world. IL IS
not bv accident that the present great
war came in Europe. Every element
vas there. and the contest had TO come
sooner or later, and II IS not gong 10
he bv accident that the results are
worked cut, but by purpose-by the
purpose OF the men who are strong
enough TO have guiding minds ana IN
doritable wills when the time Tor de-
cis;on and settlement comes.
Americas a Disinterested Part.
"And the part that the United States
is 10 play has this DISTINCTION IN ~
that il is TO be IN any event aislnV 81
osted mart. There is nothing 'hat tne
United States wants that 1t mas 10 ~.
bv war, but there are a great ma,.S
things that the United states mas "
do. Il has TO see that It's me Is hoe
interfered with by anybody else wiz
wants something. MALI
"These are days when we are lnan
inc preparation, when the thlhg nlos t
Commonly discussed around every sTrS
NJ table. in every sort OF circle III III
shops and in the streets, ~ pleP".so
ness. and undoubtedly, gentlemen; una'
is the present imperative ou'S u
ica-to be prepared -. ... oro
But we ought TO know whst We a. y
,,or,ariro for. | remember hearing
i,,isa man say once that the old MAXIM
that Everything comes 10 the hisn a WI" ~
,,I,its' is all very well, PROVIDED ne
,',o,rs What he is waiting for; and
preparedness might be a very nazaru-
Gus thing if we did not know What VIC
wanted 10 do with the force thst we
mean TO accumulate and 10 get INTO
fighting shape.
America, fortunately, does kno"
what she wants TO do with her foree'
America came into existence for par
ticular reason. When you look ABOUT
upon these beautiful hills and up this
stately stream, and then let your mag
nation run over the whole body OF THIS
great country from which you young
STEERS are drawn, far and wide, you re-
member that while II had aboriginal
inhabitants, while there were people
living here, there was no civilization
which we displaced. 1t was as If in the
providence Of God continent had been
kept unused and waiting for peaceful
people, who loved liberty and the
rights Of men moro than they loved
anything else, to come and set up an
unselfish commonwealth. IL is very
extraordinary thing.
No Other History Like II.
"You are so familiar with American
history, at any rate in its general char
acter-I don't accuse of knowing the
details Of it, for l never found the
youngster who debut you are so IA
miliar with the general character Of
American history that 1t does not seem
strange to you, but it is very strange
history. There is none other like it in
the whole annals of mankind-of men
gathering ont Of every civilized ma
ton Of the world on an unused con.
tinent and building up polity exact
" 10 suit themselves, not under the
domination of any ruling dynasty or Of
the ambitions Of any royal family;
doing what they pleased with their own
life on free space of land, which
God had made rich with every resource
which was necessary for the civiliza-
tion they meant to build up. There is
nothing like II.
Now, what we are preparing 70 do
Is 20 see that nobody mars that, and
that, being safe itself against inter
ference from the outside, all of its
force Is going TO be behind its moral
idea, and mankind is going to know
that when America speaks she means
what she says. | heard man say 10
t--