The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-07-27
7. R. RAPS GOVT
Sees in War Lesson To Be Pre-
pared for Next Crisis.
e. s. Exhibited to World as
Miracle of Inefficiency.

Pittsburc, Pa, July 27.-Prepare
for the next national emergency by
introducing the principle of obliga-
tory. universal militar.- training for
young men in time 81 peace and uni
versal service in time of war for every
man and woman In the country; was
the admonition of Theodore Roose-
welt in an address here last night be-
fore the convention of the Loyal Or
der of Moose.
As compared to the Other great ma
lions of tho world. he declared, Amer
leans had il this war exhibited them
selves a miracle of inefficiency.
Unpreparedness Criminal.
Asserting that the government an
nounced the measures of prepared
ness now in progress are temporary
and will be stopped soon as the
emergency is over, Colonel Roosevelt
characterized this as a criminal re-
fusal to provide for the future" He
summed up what America had &C
complished since the declaration OF
war with Germany by saying the
United States did not now have a sin
gle airplane fit to send across the Ger
man lines and that months must pass
before one could be manufactured
that America had no heavy artillery
to put in the battle line and that Per-
| shing and his soldiers would have to
trust to French and English guns.
American submarine chasers, oper.
ating with the British fleet consti.
tuted. he said. only tiny fraction OF
the English force. It would be
year after the declaration of gar be-
| fore America would have a fair num-
Der of big cargo ships.
Painfully Shy on Equipment.
I'VE have not enough rifles fol
| our men," said Roosevelt. We arr
painfully short in equipment. WI
have not yet begun to assemble thu
draft army, the first elementary of
flcers' training camps have not beef
finished, the national guard has onl.
just begun to mobilize.
I'VE have put a fragment of on
| fine little regular army into Franc
and, as it is composed almost exclu
| sively of infantry without artillery
it would be helpless against any wei
| equipped enemy were it not aided b,
our allies.
This is the sum total of the activ
tiles of a nation of 100,000,000 PEG
Pile, and in possession of incalculabl
wealth and houndless resources, dur
ing the six months following its en-
try, (after two and half years
| warning,) into the greatest war Il
history.
Must Prepare in Advance.
THE simple truth is that reIativel
to the other great nations of tn
i world, we have exhibited ourselves
miracle of inefficiency and we shal
always be inefficient during the frs
vital months of any war until w
learn to prepare in advance.
''It is this utter unpreparednes
which should convey the real lesson t
us. And remember that as yet we a
4 a people, acting thru our govern
mental authorities. have not taken on
step to avert disaster in the futur
by introducing a permanent policy Q
preparedness. We have been caugh
utterly unprepared in terribl
emergency because we did nothing ur
til the emergency ,tua1ly arose an
now. our government announces ths
what we are doing we shall stop dc
ing as soon as the emergency is owe
and then will remain equally UMPIRE
pared for the next emergency.
1T is this blind refusal--from til
nations standpoint 1 can only call
the crimin4l refusal--to provide fc
the future that forces every hone.
and farsighted lover of America t
speak"