Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-03-06
1901 ALTON THAT MENAcEs.

stUIIuOll OI LuO O1u WIN NJ eAAAo SAA~->
when there is agitation for militar!
preparedness even to the point OF uni
&ersal service, there are those VINO
Wise up and proclaim the needlessness
of such measures because OF the pro
lection afforded us by the great oceans
that bound our east and west coasts
n Arthur Brisbane, the $4,000 editor
q for the Hearst papers, is one OF the
4 loudest of the false prophets who ex
claim over the safety afforded by the
three thousand mile stretch Of water
between the United States and Europe
and the six thousand miles OF water
between the United States and Asia
8fAnd there are others.
d The idea that the oceans are g pro.
1 lection came from the days when wind
was the motive power Of ships and
two months was necessary to cross
them. They were protection then.
Today those same oceans are posi-
tive menace
Today we are nearer to Europe by
kyater than Germany is to Russia by
kand. That is, in a military sense OF
Aearness.
/ NThe oceans which hundred years
\ Ia rendered an invasion in force al.
Most out Of the question, now afford
Means whereby thousands of soldiers
kould be landed on our shores III a
fortnight. Thousands more could FOL
low them in fortnight and there
would be no question about the apillty
9iSs the invader to keep open his line
u communication.
Lets not pass over the above state
Gents too lightly. 1t has been dem
Gstrated to be fact that the oceans
yide means of transporting troops
/. this country that would enable any
Aopean nation to land big array
szse-bigger than any army we have
rnufrf- got ready--in two weeks OF
hereabouts. 1t is actually true that
Iecause of the oceans and the devel-
oment of modern ocean travel, a
European nation that was so minded
could place successive armies in this
country much faster than would be
he case il they had to send the armies
Nv dry land. A fleet of modern
transports can carry thousands of SOL
yiers thousands of miles in very few
laws while transporting troops by
rail, is still slow matter, not much
faster in truth than by foot.
AS instances of the above, note the
succl less OF the Russians in transport
p thousands Of men from the frozen
As of the north. half way around the
,rld almost, to the battlef1elds of
ance: mark the boast of the Brftons
at they have transported millions of
diers thousands of miles with losses
most too small to be noticeable.
kewise remember that Russia lost
r war with Japan few years ago
incipally because Of her inability to
snsport her soldiers overland to the
lie front, while the water afforded
Japs an easy method of invasion.
Can you doubt, in the face of what
being done in Europe, that Euro
san army of several hundred thou
nd men could be landed on our
ores in a period of three weeks or
IS?
Now. let us suppose that some for
In nation decides to make war upon
band quietly organizes for that pur-
lie. A fleet of transports could
fng 100000 men to Mexico in two
Eeks. Until that army approached
border, our policy of the past
lfuld prevent us from taking action.
NJ In few days that army would be
the border of the United States
I'D then we would summon our army
Id order 1t to meet the menace. 1t
ok us some six months some time
q to mobilize our troops on the
xican border, but for the sake OF
gument. suppose the same work was
complished this time in two weeks.
presence of our little army on the
der would mean that the coasts
uld have to be stripped of soldiers.
that moment the transports might
turn from Europe with the second
my and declaration of war would
lmost too easy to be worth while
Suppose the invader contented him.
elf with Selling New York and Bos.
on1-and possibly Washington-and
hen demanded, say fifteen or twenty
ilIion dollars for real or alleged
'rbngs that we had committed dur
nd the present war. What would we
aof? What would you do?
Pay it. There would be no othe-
IvaNy out CT it. And If the inva ~
likewise demanded yearly tribute and
choice section of our nation, or al.
MOIST anything else he was so minded,
4 would be up to us to come across
8cause he would have us in position
II kere to resist would be suicide. /,
N That is the situation that could be ,
,ught about because of the means !
A. rapid transport afforded by the |
seans. That is the condition that |
Eight some day-will some day-con.
ront this nation II 1t persists in re-
using to look facts in the face while |
roaming that the millennium is at |
and.
The oceans which some people '
kould have us believe protect us, are i
B. very things that make us easy to !