Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-01-19
ARMY OFFICER GIVES
VIEWS ON DEFENSE
MAJOR GENERAL BELL AD-
DRESSES JOINT SESSION OF
THE LEGISLATURE.

''If there is anyone living in
FOOLS paradise, it is you living in
Washington, Oregon and California"
This was one of the striking state
ments made in the course of an In
spring address delivered to Joint
session of the house and senate and
a crowded gallery Wednesday after
noon by Major General J. Franklin
Bell, U. s. A., commander of the
Western department, a speech in
which he particularly urged the peo-
pie of the United States to begin
thinking with their heads and not
their hearts.
Army Against War.
Il don't like war a bit more than
you do" he told his hearers. "If we
have war, / stand good chance to
leave widow without an income.
Despite the usual belief, the army
does not want war. But il. unfor-
tunately, war must come, the army
wants to take part--its officers and
men don't want to spend the rest Of
their lives explaining why they
weren't there.
1.-The army wants to do the busi-
ness successfully and efficiently, and
If you suppose it cel under present
conditions, you have more faith and
than we have.
Il have no quarrel with the
pacifist. but want him to think with
his head and not his heart.
War is not such an awful calam-
ity," he continued. why. bleys
your hearts. life is one long war! It
is one series of struggles. grant
you that most Of the results OF was
are deplorable, but that does not
mean that every conssqusaSs II a.
plorable.
where did you get your liberty
of speech and thought? You didn't
always have them. Since the begin
ming Of the world there has always
been struggle between the masses
and the classes and victories have
always been won at the point Of the
sword.
: How were the shackles OF the
slaves lifted? At the point OF the
sword. How was the yoke lifted
from Cuba? At the point of the
sword. And how was the greatest
and condition of oppression
Of the century in the Philippines re-
Iieved but by the point OF the swofd1
I'VE may not want to night, but
the day may come when we will have
to tight. What would We do II any
other nation tried to take tho Pan
anna canal! What would we do II
any other nation tried to abrogate
the Monroe doctrine? What wonld
we do II any other nation tried to
close the open door in China?
Would we let them do 1t or would No
fight? am just q good enough
to believe that we would
fight"
UAivegval Military Training.
Though he approved the national
guard, General Bell said there was
woefully wrong in q sys-
tenn which takes one man from HIS
business and sends him to the border
In his country's service while others
remain at home. For this reason he
advocated universal military service.
saying there were many plans that
could be adopted.
I'VE might specify, for instance"
he said, that every man should give
q year to learning military science.
and take men between the ages Of IS
and 21. Let them give any year in
that time, and in few years we
would have so many trained men in
reserve that no nation would dare
attack u.s."
General Bell came to Olympia to
deliver his address at the unanimous
request of the house and senate. Fol-
lowing its delivery he went into ex-
ecutive conference with the joint mil
itary committees and discussed with
them the military and defense prob
lens of the state