The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1916-02-17

elastic and comparative terms.
One will think that preparedness
has arrived when we have stand
ing army of 100000 men and a
navy equal to that of amy coun-
try except England, and consc-
quently superior tn any other ma
ton except England in our own
waters. Another may deem 500.
600 men or a million and a fleet
nearing that of England only a
reasonable degree of prepared
ness. Until a measure or meas
urcs are introduced into Congress
and have been fought to point
where there are clear lines Of di-
vergance, We will not have definite
! idea of what our statesmen really
mean by the various term used.
One thing is very clear, the Am
crican people are not prepared TO
accept anything verging ON mill
tarism, nor Oh any very great in
crease in our standing army.
Most people are willing to make
concessions along naval lines, for
at best the navy is not a great
menace TO the inquiry as whole
and is not to be elias >itied with the
army as a menace To our demo.
cratic institutions. \ radical in
crease in the army would, so
brighten our people that they
would not accept it and any con-
gresham, except in districts
where the manufacture of war
material or kindred articles. are
chief, occupations would have a
very rough road to travel in his
following campaign for re-elec-
ton. 100000 or million or two
million men would be readily furn
lshed, salaried and provided for
without complaint if we were re-
ally at war, for there WOULD be ne
cessbty for it; but any material in
crease in times of peace would be
regarded as an open wedge to mil
itarism, fraught with great dan
ger to our liberties and the under
lying principles on which this gov
eminent is founded. Any increase
in our army for purely war pur.
poses is going to meet with strong
opposition from all classes ex-
cept those especially interested
and in all parties. 1t can not be
we'll made a party issue for par
ties are divided. An increase in
our navy means expenditure of
money. which is not so material
nor could the fleet be used for de-
fensive purposes to any great ex-
|tent unless supported by large
army.
If our standing army is to be
increased it should be on a per-
centage basis and in proportion
to increase of our population. For
instance, our standing army was
made approximately 100000
when we had 65,O0O,OOO people,
with the idea that they were re-
CURED to properly police the
country. On the same basis with a
population of iOO,OOO,OOO people
an army of $4,000 would be keep
ing up the ratio. A measure of This
nature, allowing for an increase
in proportion to population would
not be a great menace of militar-
ism. This with property drilled
militia would give us basic force
sufficient in numbers, if properly
equippeck armed and provisioned
ITO repulse any attack from The
outside which any nation could
make. But no nation is going to
attack us. The greatest estimate
in men which any European or
Adriatic nation could land in this
country is 100000. Formerly it
YVES little Janan which Wa; going
to- land on our :ipres and give us
t,>uncing. Mo- the grea; n.iba.
poo is Germany. According to
come who ''se things" Germany
is liable to land on our co"st most
any hight and eobble us up before
morning. Germany can't gel to US
il she wantt:, ~. Say however. as
IA concession to those who do not
"slcep nights wing to the Ger
IMAM terror" that this war was
cndeG and Germany should deter
lmine To wreck herself in al at
tempt to inraGe this country Ac-
cording to the best authority il
would take all Of the available