El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-02-08
PrOcraStindfiOn
NOW May Mean
Waste of Life
Chicago TrIbune.)

WIN tnc tmpcTiaf ccTWau government
brings our country to the brink Of war.
II has been the earnest desire Of tho
American people that our peace should
continue, and the whole nation shares
In the wish and hope expressed by the
president that tho ties Of friendly inter.
course which ave so long bound US to
the German people may not be broken.
Nevertheless, In the grave and DELHI
crate action taken our chief executive
may rest assured of the w~hoIc-hcarted
support Of the nation. All differences
Of opinion, all doubts and hcsitancies
are resolved In this solemn hour, and all
Americans stand today at the presidents
shoulder in patriotic union and I'M
fiinching devotion.
The president and the nation have de-
voutIy desired peace. But they will as
resolutely enter upon war If that tragic
alternative 10 thrust upon them. They
have now before them one clear duty,
X Is to prepare for that alternative. The
time for reluctance and delay is past.
The time for swift and thorough action
is at hand.
The severance of diplom attic relations
is not war. But history warns US that
as between great nations 1t Is the vir-
tualIy certain prelude of war. We must
realize that whether it shall be In this
instance Is not wholly without our con-
troll. 1t is for Germany to cast the die,
and II we are not wholly blind we must
believe the conditions Of the world con-
fllct are such as to offer US little or no
hope the die will be cast for peace.
We desire peace. We hope for peace.
But we must prepare at once for war.
To hesitate and postpone now wouId be
criminal folly; folly because it would
ignore the lessons of experience and the
plain dictates of seIf-prcservation; Grim
inal because If war comes every hour of
delay, every compromise of vigorous
preparation, will be paid for In the un-
necessary and unforgivable expenditure
of precious American blood.
Our conscience is clear as to the is
sue. It cannot be clear If we neglect to
prepare with all our might to meet the
issue. Congress and the government
must realize that this responsibility is
now upon them, and upon them alone.
However the Indifference of the Ameri-
can public may have contributed in the
past to the procrastination of Its repre-
sentatives, the responsibility for delay
must now be borne by congress and the
executive. There is no Sinking this re-
sponsibiIity. Government exists for 1t
and must be faithful to the trust. The
time for action is here. The government
must act.
The navy is grossly undermined. We
had a fleet of sixteen battIeships and
sent them round the world in 1907. Now
our fleet numbers only thirteen, The
authorized strength of the navy Is H.
900. We are 24,ooo short of that num-
Der. In case of war we shall need prob
ably 10000 men for the navy.
The naval militia should he modified
Immediately to meet our pressing def
cheney and assigned to duty on ships.
The ships and submarines now build
NY cuOuiQ NC RQSHNQ " COftiHiCtlOu dL
the highest rate of speed. All the re-
sources Of all %shipyards, public and pri-
vate, must be utilized, with three shifts,
working t~Wenty-four hours to the day.
Plans for expansion of these facilities
should be formulated.
The naval board and the general staff
Of the army should present plans for the
mobilization Of naval and military forces
at the earliest possible moment and leg
i~sIation framed by experts should be
passed without debate or amendment by
our civilian congress to place these
plans in immediate operation.
The problem of developing our maxi
mum resourcee of equipment, munitions
and supply should be taken up at once.
The great leaders Of the various indus
tries that viii Ibe called upon to provide
our navy and army In war should be
summoned to Washington and organlz-
ed In an Industrial general staff to act
with the army and navy heads and see
that all necessaries are supplied prompt
ly and continuously.
Modern warfare Is a gigantic synthe-
sis In which confusion, maI-adjustment,
and delay mean cruel waste of life and
may mean defeat or utter ruin. II we
are to enter the world war II is impera-
tive that we should meet its standards
OF efficiency and concentrates power.
The presidents are before US. The
methods have been worked out by 9TH
err governments which have preceded us
In the conflict. We w It to our coun-
try and to every man we call upon to
fight for her to summon all our re-
sources of brain and material and to
place them at the disposal Of our navy
and army on the highest level Of our
efficiency.