The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-06

ness now being fought out in Congress as to leave its real meaning ambis- uoUs.
 q feel certain if you have had the time to go into the matter very thor oughly that you have seen the wisdom of some preparation by this country for it's own defense. The people do not fully appreciate the question l feel sure and that is evidenced by the fact that many farmers unions and com mercial organizations throughout the south have adopted resolutions against preparedness which they have trans mitted to Congress.
 As l have said before-and written Congress is very susceptible to the will of the people; Congress desires to do that thing the people want done. It is up to the people, therefore, to speak, and speak in no uncertain or falter- ing terms to Congress and impress that body with their needs and demands. But it is first up to the newspapers of the country to lay important issues like the issue of preparedness in all their details before the people. It is the duty of the newspapers to see to it that nothing is overlooked and that the people may have full opportunity to study the question and arrive at an intelligent conclusion upon the question. Not only that the newspa- pers themselves ought to take stand many people lock to the papers and their editorial observations for guid- ance in such matters
 SENTIMENT OF NATION
 There is a sentiment which has been weayed into the very fibre of this na- tion since it's birth which is opposed to militarism and the rule of the sword. The powers of centralized gov ernment such as is concentrated in the crowned heads and royal families or the military powers of Europe are ao- horrent to the American people. Our statesmen have jealously nurtured this sentiment until 1t is a national instinct and a part of the life of every free born American. Naturally, then, we have drifted further and further away from all though of war; so opposed are we to war of aggrandizement and conquest that we, warlike people-a people who wrested at the mouth of the musket from one of the most pow erful monarchies of Europe our own independence, that we have uncoh- sciously abandoned even the most ele- mentary necessities for the defense Of our own country. So lost have we De- come in commercialism and in the mad pursuit of gold, that everything else has disappeared from the view or our national horizon.
 Nothing could be more proper than that the life and ideals of Americans should be opposed to war. on that question there is no issue between those who would prepare the country for defense and those who are op- posed to such a course. There must not be a military power in this coun- try which is to be fostered and nur- tured until it's influence is so power full that it can control the destiny or the nation The military force Of the country must be the servant and not the master of the people. But 1T the nation would live; if the integrity or the nation is to be preserVeo' II we are to avoid humiliation at the hands of future enemies, we must create ana maintain a servant powerful enough to compel the respect of those possible enemies ,
 I commend you to the study of the history of all great nations-those or the past If we would avoid thelr fate we must make some sacrlflce to that end.
 Tool, at ancient Rome; so long as she maintained her virility so long as she pre- served her national spirit, so long as sne was able to defy the invader. her banner waived triumphantly over her citadeis and--her grandure. But when me oecaS set ip-when she became lost In her lust for gold, when she abandoned herselr to licentiousness and the enjoyment or hef immense commerce and riches she forgot all else and in the end felt the knife or the inyander at her throat and bowed her head in shame under the yoke or her enemies The history of Spain Is much the same-one time her great fleets don- mated the seas of the world. Her ships carried her commerce to every port; her wealth and power were envied by all peo- her COfferS OVerIlOWeu with gold and jewels. Secure and confi- dent in all this power and wealth she neg lected to foster the spirit of national in dependence and refused to keep up the expense that was the keynote of her ex- istence as world power. With what result? Her power waned; her commerce was destroyed; her wealth dissipated. and she lives today to brood upon the mem ory of her past greatness.
 TREATIES NOT SUFFICIENT
 it is idle for us to rest secure laboring under the delusion that treaties and the past achievement of American arms will keep us from war. Treaties and records for military prowess will not preserve peace. Our experts tell us-and we have no reason to doubt their word or to ques- ton their patriotism-that this country Is not prepared to resist real and de- termined invasion from one of the first class European powers Men must be trained to fight; we must have the weapons for defense before we can ex- pect that defense to be effective. It Is useless to say that the present conflagra- ton in Europe will be the last great war. We can only hope that it will. War comes from too many reasons-and at times from no reason whatsoever. Rel1- zion in it's various forms oftimes is the cause of war But in spite of the fact that this is the twentieth century after the birth of the meek and lowly Nazarine and after his gospel has spread over all the earth--we are witnessing the great est war of all times and not war be- tween the doubters and those who bow to the faith-but war between the Chris tian nations. And then the pacifist tells us to rest in security and have faith in the integrity and expressed good will of these nations. In reply to this I want to point out today that there are more than one Christian nation in Europe at this time which awaits like vultures for the day to come when they can enter the war with security upon the side of the victor. There they stand unimpressed by the slaughter of their fellows on all sides mo sentiment of right and wrong influ- ences them. No question of the violation of the integrity of Christian nations. or ties by blood or religion, enters into their calculations; no, they wait with swords sheated for the moment to come for them to draw and strike-not for liberty, but for pelf-and then you tell men that any nation can hope to live that fails to ex- pose to all the world a solid front and a solemn warning that to menace its liberty means a fight to the finish.
 FATTEST FOWL IN BARNARD When the European war is over-God ha aav 1n taf hn