The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-03
TUESDAY MORNING, APRIL 3, 1917.
THE INEVITABLE.

The inevitable has happened Following the
and senate last night asking the passage of joint
resolution declaratory of the state of war that
been thrust upon by the blood naddcned
lords OF the German empire, congress will today
make such declaration
Since the delivery of the message by Won Bern
storff on the first day of February, that the Ger
man submarines intended to wage Dhmediatc and
mercilcss warfare friend and foe alike other
outcome has been possible.
with a forbearancc that long since approached
the status of apparent impotence the government
of the United States has sought to avoid the final
blow. A further delay in the declaration that will
be made today by the national congress would have
been public acknowledgement that Americans of
this generation are degenerate sons of illustrous
sires.
The fault that has been committed by
government lies in its past refusal to recognize tho
impending danger and to put the nation into the
proper condition for self defense. How we shall
fare during the coming weeks, owing to our lack
of having made preparation for the inevitable
storm, yet remains to be seen.
In the opening mon,ns of the conflict upon which
are entering, we shall probably suffer deep
and lasting humiliation. The sinking of dozens of
our ships of war and scores of merchantmen may
teach the lesson that probably could not have
been learned otherwise by great nation grown
rich and soft and largely devoted to the ideal
of making money.
Illuminating it may be to national pride,
will realize in the days just ahead of tina, the
British fleet is the immediate bulwarl of our own
national defense We have millions Of men and
billions of money, but no power on earth can mar
shall these assets into a real engine Of war under
six eight months
Our regular army numbers less than 100000 men.
Probably $4,000 more can be Immediately mus
tered from the national guardsmcn. From these
must come the armies absolutely necessary for the
garrsoning of the Philippines Hawaii the naval
base at Guantanamo and the all Important Panama
canal. Two weeks ago. the navy was short 1900
men to properly man the vessels now in commission
Luckily for us muniton plants are developed
to that point where can turn ont in immense
quantities all the arms and ammunition needed for
an army of 100000 men and a navy twice the size
of our present
On the same day that congress passes the dcclar-
alton of war; it should also pass the bill for uni
versal military service. The nation is not in the
temper to have "a rich mans and poor mans
fight"
millionaire and day lalorCr should be mustered
together II citizenship means anything it means
that every potential the same identical
duty to the flag that protects him.
The nation will willingly accept universal mill
tary service bill that exempts no one, except fol-
other duties for which he is specially qualified.
The quicker the is ended the better foi
everyone Let this nation strike just AS quick
and lust as hard as it is possible to do.
For the German people we have no feeling cX'
cert that OF neighborly kindness; for the mpcr'a
war lords of German autocracy, who alone are re-
snonsiblc for the bloody dcbacc into which they
have insisted on dragging the United states let ii
lie finish fight.
out Of the present struggle will come "A fuller de-
mocracy throughout the world, Europe and America
alike
nDJI ADO AIR0NE THE RI A(,