The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-06-14

" going 10 De ellneT III the nistoIN
OF this country or in the history o.
the world. II is not by accident the
present great war came In Europe,
Every element was there and
the contest had 10 come sooner or
later, and II Is not going 10 be by
accident that the results are worked
out. but by purpose, by the purpose
of the men who are strong enough
TO have guiding minds and indomita
BILE Wills when the time for decision
and settlement comes. And the
part that the United States is "a
play has this distinction in II, that
II is TO be. in any event. a disin
terested part.
There Is nothing that the Unit
ed States wants that II has 10 get
by war. but there are a great many
things that the United States has
TO do. II has 10 see that It's life
Is not interfered with by anyone
else who wants something.
These are days when we are
making preparations, when the
thing most commonly discussed
around every sort OF table, in every
sort of circle. In the shops and In
the streets. Is preparednes and I'M
doubtedly. gentlemen. that is the pres
ent imperative duty OF America, 10
be prepared. But we want 10 know
what we are preparing for remem-
Der hearing wise man say once
that the old maxim that everything
comes 10 the man who waits is all
very we'll. preceded he knows what
he is waiting for. and preparedness
might be a very hazardous thing IL
we did not know what We wanted
10 do with the force that we mean
TO accumulate and 10 get into fight
ing shape. America, fortunately.
does know what she wants TO do
with her force. America came into
existence for a particular reason.
When you look about upon these
beautiful hills and up this stately
stream, and then let your imagina.
ton run over the whole body OF this
great country from which you young
sters are drawn. far and wide, you
remember that while II had sborig
inal inhabitants, while there were
people living here. there was 40 civ
ilization which We displaced. 1t
was as IL in the providence Of God
a continent has been kept unused
AMI waiting for a peaceful people
who loved liberty and the rights of
men more than they loved anything
else. TO come and set up an unselfisa
at is a very. extraordinary thing
You are so familiar with American
history, at any rate in its general
character, | don't accuse YOU Of
knowing the details of II. for | never
found the youngsters who did; but
you are 50 familiar with the general
character OF American history that
II does not seem strange TO you. but
IL Is a very strange history. There
is none other like il in the whole
annals of mankind, OF men gathering
out Of every civilized nation Of the
world on an unus cd continent and
building a policy exactly TO suit
themselves, not under the domino
ton of any ruling dynasty or of the
am billions of any royal family doing
what they pleased with their own
life on free space of land which
God had made rich with every re-
source which was necessary for the
they meant 10 build up.
There is nothing like IL.
"Now. what we are preparing to
10 is TO see that nobody mars that.
and that, being safe itself against
from the outside, all Of
It's force Is going 10 be behind its
moral idea and mankind is going
10 know that when America speaks
she means what she says. heard
man say TO another. II you wish me
TO consider you witty, must really
trouble you 20 make a joke We
have a right Ito say 10 the rest OF
If you don't want 10 in
terfere with US, IL you are disin-
terested, we must really trouble you
10 give the evidence Of that fact
I'VE ar. not In for anything self.
ish and we want the whole mighty
power of America thrown into that
scale and not into any other. You
know that the chief thing this is
holding many people back from en-
thusiasm for what Is called prepar.
edness IL the fear of militarism.
want 10 say word 10 you Young
gentlemen about militarism. You are
not a militarist because you are mill
tary. Militarism does not consist In
the existence Of an army, not even
in the existence of a very great
army. Militarism is a spirit. II is
a point of view. IL is system II
is a purpose. The purpose OF mill
tarism Is to use armies for aggres-
sion. The spirit Of militarism is the
opposite Of the civilian military
spirit.
"In a country where militarism
prevails the military man looks
down upon the civilian, regards him
as inferior. THINKS OF him as intend
ed for his. the military mans sup
port and use, and Just so long as
America is America, that spirit and