The daily commonwealth. (Greenwood, Leflore Co., Miss.) 1916-1919, 1917-05-11
PREPAREDNESS AT LAST


A~~S -
A
For some years past there has been a steady
agitation for military preparedness. Yet to at.
tain such preparedness as was deemed adequate by
the military and governing authorities seemed a
hopeless task. 1t seemed impossible to induce a
| sufficient number of volunteers to enter the federal
service, and despite a loud drawn-out newspaper
harangue on the subject, we were far from the goal
set-until the United States entered the great war.
| Now we are to have a great army by compulsory
service.
Former Austrian Ambassador Dumba charges
that one of the objects of entering the war was to
bring about a large army in this country. This
charge is an entirely harmless one, and if true,
merely proves that more good than merely fight
ing for democracy in Europe will accrue our par
~ticipation in the war.
That no foreign power will feel like attacking
us when, under compulsory military service, we
have an army of more than a million men always
under arms, goes with out saying. Heretofore we
were open to attack by any power if our navy hap
pened to break down. A large force landing on
our shores could have done untold damage before
We were ready to fight; and though no military
authority ever doubted that in course Of time we
could have expelled the e~nvaders, the interim
would be gloomy days indeed. With a large army
On tap and ready for business, no foreign power
an ever expect to land troops and keep them
landed. With an army Of at least a million men
in the country, and, three or four years hence,
several times that many trained to modern arms
in reserve, our country will be absolutely safe from
invasion by envious and quarrel-seeking powers.
~ II :. l~. - ,L1-1J h. A rofior fhof ic nm
able and unwilling to go to the trouble of being
ready to defend itself at all times merely invites
disaster continually.
If cur going into the war is even remotely a
"~pretext" toward accumulating a large army, it
is one of the finest "~pretext' that ever relieved a
nation of an inherent and fatal weakness.
THE KAISER CAN END 1T
1t is given to Kaiser Wilhelm to end the war
at once.
All he needs to do is to abdicate.
With the Kaiser off the throne and the royal
family of Germany merely private citizens, the
Allies would consider peace terms at once.
The interminable bloodshed of the European
battlefelds, caused in the first place by the un-
comfortable ambitions and national pride Of royal
families and their diplomatic and aristocratic
satraps, can be ended and a lasting peace assured
by the voluntary act Of the kaiser.
If his heart is touched by the ~ceaseless slaugh-
ter, if he is human enough to weep at the terrible
cost of the most cruel war Of all times, he should
forget a victorious defense and take means to
stop 1t.
All that stands in the way is pride and selfish
ness.
If he let's it sink into his soul that all his
mighty war machine is now fighting for is to
save his throne, he will conclude-if he be actuated
by Christian principles to ever so slight an extent
that the price his people are paying for his
throne in blood isn't worth the outlay.
If the kaiser resigns to stop the war, many of
the things laid against his door and the door of
the royal family and the ruling class will be for
gotten. He will be considered as a man who for
got self in contemplating the good Of his people
and humanity.
re will be regarded as a king who saw the
handwriting On the wall and took the message to
heart.
By resigning the kaiser can save the lives Of
about a million men. 1t would be a noble act
nearly too much to expect from a king;
IA M "a M 10
STRAIGHT TALK IN GERMANY
"a "a "a n
One of the significant facts in Germany at
present is the freedom of speech allowed Maxi
MILAN Harden, editor Of the leading Socialist
publication of the empire.
Extracts from Harden's writings reaching
this country indicates that he is granted more
leeway in talking or writing his mind than had
been permitted in peace times. In fact, Harden
gets off" stuff that the kaiser used to think
reasonable. But conditions have changed in
Germany, it appears, and to shut down On Harden
now would in all probability precipiate what the
ruling afistocracy is most anxious to avoid.
nj, =. -. NIL - lsL... ~