The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1916-03-03
Brown on Preparedness.
Dolores, Colo.

DOlOreS, OOlO, EeD "a, 1910
To Editor of The Star:
Dear Sir:-Tne word of God SAYS I'm
a multitude OF counsel there is wis
DOM" and a lack of following this
inkanction, l believe, is the cause OF a
81 deal of our governmental trouble.
TAKE for instance, The preparedness
of the United States" What for? 10
repel invaders or a war of aggression.
Either has for its incentive the acuulr-
ing of territory or increasing our mark
cts; as witness the Philippine war
Spanish
The main question, from a selfish
STANDPOINT, Is 10 whom does the bene-
fit accrue? In the Spanish-Amerlcan
war we took the territory. and later
the Church OF Rome represented to our
government that, through ownership
OF the Frlars, a vast body of fertile
land near Manila belonged to the
church. Our government sent Secre-
tary William 1att to confer with the
Pope of Rome. The agreement was
that the Church OF Rome should re
celve SlS. OO for the land in controversy
We sold that land TO the Sugar Trust
for $6.OO. A loss to the people of ST.. W
per acre. Is 1t necessary To inquire to
whom the benefit accrued? Is sugar
any cheaper to the consumer because
OF this act of pertidy on the part of
Hr rulers?
'nder the capitalistic system of
poynment the expiolters OF a nation
are different to any thing but profits.
Tnerpre. this multitude of counsel"
amons the exploited might come in
handy!
at war G most. You viii observe the
causes ofar assigned above applies,
hnH fn
country. ldoubtedly we are in dan
ger IRON wan the future from one Of
Two reasons. The capitalist explolters
of the countrSXpect to dominate Eu-
rope after thlsa Is over because OF
their utter exlstion financially and
the vast amounof money that has
been loaned then1rom here. That Is
the reason the milton patriots are
bringing every lerage possible to
bear OIL our congesinen Tor large
military prepareu's: 1t Is a nice
thing Tor the Ploiters to have
people tax tneniVes 10 Dulid battie
SHIPS and buy mulon from the manu-
facturers at an oiageous price, and
then sail the seasA become a collect
ing agency FORE SAID patrons Tor
profit. r.
war lies in tSact that some foreign
country mSast wishful eye on TINS
e.. fair and Ppy land and conclude that
sit wotf be profitable to change the
map fErth America.
So. Nswflat shall we do? Prepare, of
,..-e..,s How? l will make few
-Aggestions along this line and let the
S.tAers OF the STAR pass on the same.
4 believe in the largest preparedness
= compatible with economy. And, as Il
matter of fact, it costs US about 100
per cent more to buy powder and
armor plate from the manufacturers
than it does to manufacture them our
selves. | am in favor of the United
States building plants and factories for
all things needed, even to clothing,
shoes, etc. for the army and navy.
think the safety of the nation
would be more assured through a well
trained soldiery than through any other
means of defense, and the greater the
number the better off we would be. |
do not believe conscript the better
means of attaining such an army, for
man, like some otner animals, does not
like to be forced Therefore let the
government establish military camps
throughout the different states tor
three or four months each year (per-
ferably winter months when unemploy-
ment is the greatest) for training men
in the manual of arms. Such men to
be furnished transportation, food,
clothing, bedding, ETC., and fair wage
and nothing compulsory about such
service except discipline during such
service.
1t strikes me that two million men
would gladly enter the employment of
your Uncle Sam, and thereby we would
soon have large and well trained
continental army-men, who in event
of war, would be efficient as well as
willing to defend their country.
Now let US lay aside some Of our
political prejudice and unite for our
best interests, socially and economically
1t must be evident to most of US that
we are forced to use economy as ind-
viduals and why not comparatively.
Respectfully,
r PpnwN