The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-08-09

When irst repOrt came 10 inherent
Syracuse In Sicily that Athens was
preparing for her conquest there rose
up prominent folk to deny the pos.
sibillty of war and to assert that the
existence of the sea furnished all the
protection necessary, exactly ~ proml-
nont folk In u WI midst, In the days
before U-boats became really soaring
and when the German military power
seemed unutterably remote, were wont
TO assure the United States that there
could be only folly In military prep
nration. Said one OF the Syracusan
orators reported by Thucydldes:
Even were u enemies to come,
50 distant from their resources and OPP
posed to such n power ms ours, their
destruction would be easy and inev-
table. Their ships will have enough
to do to get TO our island. They will
have no fortified place from which to
commence their operations, but In
truth | do not believe they would wen
he abtr to effect d Decentralization. Let
Us therefore set ut nnught these re-
ports and be sure That II any enemy
does come the state will know how To
defend itself In II manner worthy of
the national honor"
He talked, one ]perceives, as certain
American congressman used tn talk
as talked those statesmen serencly
confident in the protection afforded by
II million patriots %springing to arms
overnight. The Athenlans did come.
of course. They nearly o Had they
won there might never have been II
Roman empire. That is why the siege
Of Syracuse takes rank as one Of the
momentous battles of world history.
Athens which had fought for liberty
at Marathon In 400 Il. c., had become
In Alb u. c., a great, rich and powerful
state. e. to extend Its sway over
all the western world. All republics
If the past which acquired supremacy
over other nations ruled them sclfshly.
There are no exceptions. Where
Athens conquered she imposed her
laws. her customs, her taxes and her
kulthr. She kept her conquered peo-
pies as vassals and did not permit
them citizenship. She pleaded the
eternal law of nature that the weak
should be oppressed by the strong"
She sometimes complained that the in
justice of Sparta compelled her IN be
unjust to other nations. She might
ever have spoken of scraps Of paper
had the expression been known in that
uncnlightened She wanted Sicily
and "a, ragt 90 ,bA us,r1l IInl chm
gained it Rome, II it ever came into be-
Ing, must have located Itself elsewhere
than on the eternal seven hills. 'Syra-
cuSe," said Arnold, was n brcakwatcr
which Gods providence raised up 10
protect Rome" And he argued that
but for the destruction Of the Athenian
fleet in Syracuse harbOr, Athens and
not Rome would have conquered Garth.
age.
The Athonians came to Syracuse In
force. Their war galleys numbered
l3i. with Il multitude of SturrShipS and
troopships. A powerful force Of the
best heavy armed infantry was supple
mentcd by II smaller number of sling
ers and bowmcn. With all that wealth
and skill could provide vi efficiency
the fated armada began its voyage in
the summer of 415. The Athenian force
accomplished its landing with success.
IL invested the city. IL might have
taken Syracuse then and there had 1t
not wasted a year In desultory opera
tiOns elsewhere In Sicily n had not
treachery caused the removal Of n
Of It's two really able generals, while
death claimed another. leaving the SUI
preme command to rest with the in
competent Nicias.
Lamachus was the general who died.
He fell in az early skirmlsh. The
traitor was Alcibiades, that most rom.
pletc example Of surprising genius
without principle afforded by all his
tory. Summoned home from Sicily to
stand trial before the Athenlan tribu-
nal he fled To Sparta, whore with the
utmost rancor of n renegade he exhort-
cd the Spartans to renew the war with
Athens and send instant aid to be-
leagucred Syracuse.
IL Is interesting to read In AlcIbi-
ades' speeches us recorded by Thucy-
d!des the revelation that Athens plan
ned the conquest and absorption of all
the western world and that she meant
tn accomplish this without serious ex-
pense to herself. Athens intended to
take the islands first, he explained,
then with ports blockaded by her fleet
to assau ~Peloponnesus with all her
force.
I'VE %reckoned." he said, that each
conquered state would give us supplies
Of money and provisions sufficient to
pay for It's WI conquest and furnish
the means for the conquest OF its
neighbors."
Similar ideas seem To have found ac-
ceptance and popularity In certain high
quarters just previous to August Of
1914.
Alcibladcs urged the immediate dis
patch Of II Spartan force to Syracuse.
II the force could not he large let there
at least be sent n competent general to
organize and lead the Syracuse bat