El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-02-01

", that, God helping. I will keep it
out of war"
To Preserve National Honor. Aisa.
He went on to say that the nation
wanted him to preserve the honor OF
the United States.
The applause continued.
This people is not going to choose
war" he said. ''but we are dealing
with governments rather than people,
and do not know what an hour or a
day will bring forth.
War Must Spring From People.
I'VE want war. il it must come, 70
be something that springs out of the
sentiments, the principles and the
actions of the people themselves. 1t
is on that account that I am counsel
ing congress not to take the advice
of those who recommend that we
should have a very large army but
on the other hand. to see that the citi-
zens Of the country are so trained and
that equipment is so provided for
them that when they choose they can
take up arms and defend themselves
Il want the people to know some
thing of military life If the call should
come. That is the reason L as urging
on the congress of the United States
that at least a part Of the people be
trained
He said he wanted congress to do
great deal for the national guard, but
that he did not see how it could be
placed at the disposal OF the federal
government.
we have got down. not to the SEN
timent Of national defence, but to the
business Of national defence" he said.
jefferson Favored Compulsory Training
Even that arch Democrat Thomas
Jefferson, believed in compulsory mill
tary education.
There is another msapprehensiOn
] want to remove from your minds. 1
don't doubt that the things to prepare
for defence will be done. believe
that the people are entitled TO know
just what is being done.
Il am not here to convert you; I am
not here to argue with you; I'm just
telling you. It has been very sed-
ulously spread abroad in this coun-
try that the impulse back Of this is
the desire of men who make the ma
terials of warfare to make money out
Of the treasury of the United States.
81 wish the people who say that
could see the meetings like this one.
I am ready to admit that probably the
equipment for defence will have to be
bought and that somebody will make
money.
IF a government does not manufac-
ture what it wants, some one will
make money.
Wants Government Manufacture.
Il have been urging that tile gov
eminent get ready to make what it
wants; so that we can at least con-
troll prices. : assure you the govern
ment will at least be able to regulate
the matter. I and my colleagues are
watchful in this matter.
There is nothing new in our need
for national defence. Some people say
our coast defences are not adequate.
You know coast defences are not adj
vertised. While they are not numer-
Gus enough, what we have are as good
as possible.
Navy Merely Lacks Quantity.
Criticisms have also been made Of
our navy. All the navy lacks is guam
tity. In size it is fourth. / think if
it had to give an account of itself.
however, it would be raised above the
fourth place.
What we are proposing now is not
the sudden creation of a navy. We
have q splendid navy. We are simply
on a program that Will give
the navy in five years the same
strength that it otherwise might take
eight years to give it. There Is nc
sudden change OF plans.
Must Carry ont Program Now.
we are working out American
problems a little faster, because Amer
lean pulses are beating a little faster;
because the world is now in a whirl;
because there are incalculsble ele-
ments of trouble abroad which we can
not control. I would be derelict in
my duty if 1 did not tell you that IL is
absolutely necessary to carry out this
program now"