The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1916-06-03
PREPAREDNESS AND
COMMON SENSE


The following is scholarly and
weighty article on Preparedness and
Common Sense by Hon. Clifford Pin
chot. We concur in the analysis and
conclusions of Mr.. Pinchot and rec
ommend the article most heartily to
our readers:
Along with thousands Of our citi-
zens, am deeply interested In the
question OF National defense. Like
them, am anxious to know the Facts
and to use whatever common sense
1 have in reaching wise conclusion
as to what we ought tc do for cur
own protection. | am not stampeded'
and | do not propose to be, but | do
want the United States to take what
precautions are reasonable in view
of the facts. The situation looks TO
me like this:
Certain pacifcists assure us that
Preparedness is useless because
there is no danger of war. DO they
know. or are they merely asking us
To accept their guess in matter
which vitality concerns the safety ana
welfare of the Nation? Millions OIL
uaciiicists in the past have given
the same assurance, and have been
mistaken. Wars have come in spite
OF them. England was full Of people
who affirmed that the present war
was impossible up to the very NOM
ent OF it's breaking out, and VINO OPP
posed with all their might any III
crease in armament until war actual
ly began.
The United States has already had
five wars, each one of which was UNI
desired and unexpected by great
numbers of our people. For year
mast our State Department mas peeh
occupied with questions which might
lead TO war. What II our present pa
cifcists should in their turn prove
10 be wrong, and war should come
and find us unprepared? 1t Is Sc
rious chance for any Nation. thiS
gamble on their opinion, which the
paciiicists are asking us to taKe'
Preparedness is insurance against
war. II is not militarism ana must
nor be confused with 1t. Militarism
is making ready for aggressive war
Any one who believes that the peo'
nile of the United States can be driv-
en- or dragged into aggressive mill
tarism must have forgotten the whoie
trend OF our history, and in particu'
lar our recent voluntary retirement
from Cuba.
II is nonsense to say that our peo-
pie will plunge into militarism De
cause they prepare themselves IN
order to discourage aggression. On
that theory, no citizen should be al
lowed to own gun, because guns
can be used to kill people, or to m
sure his house, lest insurance should
bring on a fire.
Here and there an extremist VIII
make excessive and ridiculous pro-
nosals for Preparedness or against IT,
Such proposals. should not be permit
ted 10 upset our Judgment Ihey
lead nowhere. We waste our time
discussing them. For us the eA'
tremes OF militarism and of non're'
sistapce are equally out of the ques'
ton. In sober fact, our final choice
will lie not between any fantastic
extremes but between reasonable
National defense and an imitation OF
A. that will fail in the day Of trial
hetween moderate genuine Prepared
ness and a sham. We may prepare
too little, but there is no dahse'
whatever that this country VIII rush
to the other extreme.
The pacificists assure us that sucH
military training as the Swiss peopis
are giving themselves endangers de
mocracy, and that our young mei
will be hurt by learning to obey
But neither democracy nor persona
independence have been injured II
Switzerland, which is the most demo
cratic country of Europe. Universe
military service In New Zealand ant
Australia goes hand in hand with tn