The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1917-03-16
IF WE HAVE WAR WITH GER
MANY-WHAT?

government to take?
A patriotic gentleman, who has Civ
en- the matter very mature consfdera-
ton, but who is too modest to give
his name, writes as follows:
First | think congress should care
fully avoid passing any resolution
which would limit our governments
freedom of action in the future. No
resolution ought to be passed stating
that we go to war only for certain
purposes and would stop when these
purposes should be accomplished. No
one can tell what is before us or how
we should act during the coming
months, and we should preserve our
absolute freedom of action until the
time for decision should arrive, and
we should then only decide that
point | regard this as highly impOr-
tant, for three months after war be-
gins we may find it desirable to enter
into an agreement with the allies
which might not now receive the
unanimous approval of the American
people, | think that we should from
the very beginning cooperate with
the allies fully. and l think very soon
an out-and-out alliance will be both
desirable and practicable.
Second We cannot give the allies
any immediate assistance with mon
probably not much with the navy. But
we can help them with money and
supplies, and these are what they
most need. | think the American
government should arrange to buy
from the allies large amounts of their
bonds, the proceeds to be used in
carrying on the war. | would like to
see the United States government buy
100000 900 worth of bonds from the
allies. We should take their bonds.
at the current price. which yield about
United States government, and so
guaranteed offer them for sale to our
people They would be sold at
hevy premium, and the difference be-
tween the price paid for by our gov
eminent and the price they were sold
for should be turned into the treas
ury and held as an amortization fund
to take care of any bonds which pos
sibly might be 'defaulted These bonds
will be the best investments ever Is
sued by any government, would be
eagerly sought after, and the posses
sion of thse bonds would unity our
people in sustaining the government.
They would also be a means of pro-
ducing a fraternity between us and
our allies.
Third. We should allow our allies
to open recruiting offices in the Unit
ed States, and any American who con.
SCENTS to enlist in the army of any one
of our allies should be considered an
American soldier on special detail
He should be paid and pensioned by
the United States government and
treated in all respects as an American
soldier. Arrangements can be made
in the country in whose army he
should fight. to pay him the current
pay of that countrys soldiers, and the
United States would pay that coun-
try the amount disbursed. and the diff
ference between the pay of our sol
diers and the foreign soldiers could
be paid by our government to such
person as the soldier should designate
or the pay be held for his credit Tn
der this arrangement many Ameri-
cans would join the English and Ca
madam troops because of speaking a
common language. Many Italians and
Greeks would join the Italian and the
Venizelistos Greek armies The men
that would accept this arrangement
would be Jealous. enthusiastic men
who would impart their enthusiasm to
the allies. They would be the van
guard of the American army and the
promise of millions of men coming.
If necessary.
Fourth. We should consent in sim
liar manner for mechanics, engineers,
chemists. munition manufacturers
and workers, and other members of
the great industrial army to volun-
teer in like manner for either mill
tary or non-military duty in Russia.
Russia needs just these sorts of men.
and they should be allowed to go and
be treated as men in the military SER
vice of the United States detailed
for services in Russia, and be paid
for their services by a similar ar
rangement as that provided for in the
preceding paragraph
Fifth. Small as it is. l think the
greater part of our army should be