Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-03-07

10 the Editor OF THE EVENING
JOURNAL.
Sir:-I am writing you on the as
sumption that yourself and the princi-
pie citizens OF your community, are al
ways willing TO do what you can for
your own town, and that you are es
pecially willing to lend your influence
TO anything which will promote the
security aud save the lives of your fell
low citizens.
You are doubtless aware that we are
az critical time in our life as ma
S ton, far more critical than most men
realize A navy sufficient to restore
our safety at sea is yet to be built
Last years scheme to give us an army
has failed. Even IL the regular army
as provided by the Legislation OF the
last session of Congress we're sufficient
in size to repel en- invasion the rate
at which recruiting proceeds presages
failure, and the mobilization of the Ma
tional Guard on the border proves con-
olusively that if our nation depends
upon such a system for defense this
fallacy will produce immense disasters
in the future, as II has done in the past.
Of the total number on the rolls of
An1 NdAiOuNA ATuoA ut AAAN AtAAA ARA AAbh
ilization nearly 1857 were lost on
account OF physical disability, or for
other reasons.
OF the total number who went to the
border, 12S00O-nearly one-half, or
$4,000 were without any military train
ing; 56,S13 had never fired military
rifle, and only 81 per cent of those
who we're enrolled when the call came
were mustered into the service. There
fore, had our troops been called upon
to face the troops Of a first-class. or
Z even a second-class power, the most
appalling slaughter Of our own poo-
pie would have been inevitable.
These figures are significant, but
they are especially prophetic when
you recall that in peace times one
foreign nation can land $4,000 train
ed soldiers on our Atlantic coast in as
days, another nation at present can
land 23S,000 seasoned troops on our
Pacific coast in SO days. Is it wise
longer to leave our homes and our
families unprotected when we can so
easily raise an effective barrier
against wars reaching to our own
shores?
Universal military training and ser
vice is now our only safeguard against
general disaster should war come with
a frst-olass military power. Without
10 we will never have an army sufi-
cient to inspire the respect of pre-
datory nations. and in the name of
humanity and of patriotism, ! ask you
for the sake OF the men and women of
your own city, to give your influence
to bring about this much needed
change in our military system. II war
comes as the result of our present al
most criminal negligence, 1t will carry
of the young men of your city just as
have the past wars, so what better ser
vice could you render your fellow citi-
zens than by helping so to shape con-
ditions that we shall be made too Sc
cure to warrant any nation in attack
ing Us
Yours very truly.
HENRY A. WISE WOOD,
Chairman Conference Committee or
Nation Preparedness.
New York, March 2, 1917.
eWHEN GREEK MEETS GREEK"
To the Editor of THE EVENING
JOURNAL.
Sir.-Having been a reader Of TIL
EVENING JOURNAL for over tel
years. I hope you will allow me {
make a reply to Gustav ELMER Ca full
FLOODED GERMANY. who. in his lette
published yesterday, writes boldly an'
''bravely" about the present situation
of this country.
The undersigned was a German. he
fore he became an American citizen
and while my sympathies naturally g
ont to my Fatherland, on account o
NV father and mother still livini
there. and my having three brothers
in the trenches. Zone Of them alread!
killed in this horrible wary. ! am al
American first, who doesn't believe II
war. but believing that should I'M
country be involved in the worn
struggle. will remember that | TOO
an oath Of allegiance to the Unite
States of America, and am bouno u
act as anv other bonafide America
citizen would.
Rut don't agree with Gustav Ell
mer when he says that he agrees VII
Maver London, who said, 81 shrln
hack from the man who points at IN
stars and, Stripes at every conceivabl
opportunity.
! adQlee Mayer Lonuo' do Z" "i''i
good principles MT. London has eel
taiuly proved that The has the lab'
movement at heart But, with NJ
ELMER: the case us vastly differen
fortEllmer broke his pledge with 81
cialisp{apd, wifi the labor movemel
when he violated his oath with u
Brewery Workers Union and becan
non-upinp-map, directly through b
violation OF shis oath with a labor o
ganizationf He was running for 0