The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-01-28
WAR FRENZY

tie theme of militarists, war NUM-
tons manufacturers and political
iingoes, who would convert the Unit
ed States into military camp and its
sea coasts into one bristling rampant
of monster guns that could blow all
water before they could approach
within sight of land. They hold up
before the country horoscope Of
some great power steaming over here
with a wonderful navy and far-reach-
ing guns and immense transports
loaded down with millions of soldiers,
taking possession of New York and
other seaport towns, and rushing
pell-mell over the whole country with
its soldiers.
The picture is enough to brighten
the timid and unthinking, even if the
belittlement of our strength doesn't
invite some ambitious nation to un-
dertake the hazardous game, and
cause them to believe that the United
States is an easy mark of which any
dinky little power of Europe or the
Orient might make sport.
But such things as our frenzied
militarists conjure up are not done in
squirt. The most efficient, thorough
ly organized and ready-to-strike army
the world has ever known, made a
brilliant dash for Paris, while France
was practically unprepared for the
assault. Little Belgium held it in
check for a fortnight or more, and
when it was almost upon Paris it was
driven back, and there it is entrench-
ed today, year and half after the
first gun was fired, unable to advance
and not daring to withdraw.
1t is well enough to be prepared to
defend our country in the possible
which is by no means a probable
event of attempted invasion by any
other nation, and to have sufficient
army of trained tacticians and men
to organize and drill volunteer de-
Tense army when necessary; but our
monster coast defense guns are not
toys, nor our navy to be decried, and
any European power that might en-
terrain the temerity of attacking us
would hesitate long and deeply be-
fore undertaking the game. If any
European power should presume on
such a hazardous venture, how long
could it hold out with its base of sup
plies three thousand miles away
across the waters, whence all its food,
munitions and soldiers must be
drawn, with other jealous and not too
friendly European powers watching
its every moment?
Even should it succeed at first in
taking some one or two of our sea-
port towns, no invading army could
ever penetrate far into the interior
even with nothing but a raw volun-
teer army that would arise like mag
ic to bar their way. We have the
men and men with the spirit to drive
them back, the resources to maintain
our people, equip an army with guns
and munitions, and everything that
goes to sustain people, without de-
pending upon outside help. Ameri-
ca is the principal granary of the
world, and other nations which de-
pend upon US for foodstuffs would
grow FESTIVE and soon want to call a
halt, and the power that was attack
ing US would feel the effects.
With such conditions fronting any
nation that might have an envious
eye on the United States, it would
reflect long, seriously and doubtfully |
over the problem of engaging in war
with us; and besides it would be diff
ficult for any such nation in the eyes
of the world to hatch up a causus
belli, for the United States is not an
aggressive nation, has no territorial
expansion ambition, and is champion
Of universal peace.
President Wilson's conservative
policy is well enough,
and the American people as a whole
are disposed to favor it, but this mil
liant frenzy, from dwelling too much
on the horrors of the European war,
that has taken possession Of the
minds of some of our ambitious army
and navy people, war munitions man
and political agitators of
the Roosevelt type, is altogether out
of place and to be reprehended.
A Socialist presided over the Ma
tional House of Representatives last