The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1917-03-29

sion with her terrible submarines!
Then whore would we be-?
Why, we would be absolutely help
less and defenseless against the huge
and victorious and veteran navies and
armies of the Central Empires.
1t is foolish to say this cannot hap.
pen.
Anything can happen in such a war
as this
Have we not been told for three
years that the Russian Government
and the Russian people were never so
united and SO unanimous and 80 bent
upon, prosecuting war In conjunction
with the other allies?
And have we not just seen the Rus
sian Government overwhelmed by the
most startling revolution in all history,
because Russia had fallen into a con-
dition of hopeless anarchy, starvation
and military disorganization, and the
Russian Government was more than
suspected of having betrayed its allies
and entered into secret alliance with
Germany and Austria?
"Reds" Overthrow Government.
Suppose that the extreme revolution
ists-the "Reds"-now in turn over
throw the moderate constitutional
party, as 1t is certain they are bent
upon trying to do, and put in force
their programme, which is immediate
peace.
And suppose, too, that the revolu-
ton, which every well-informed man
knows to be apt to break out in Italy
at any moment, results in military
and social anarchy in that kingdom.
These things are not only possible
they are far more than probable. They
may be realities in half year, In three
months-in month, even.
And if they do occur, what chance
have the allies to beat the Central
Empires?
We dwell upon these possibilities be-
cause they are. possibilities, and 1t is
madness not to take them into account
in preparing for our own safety.
We should not prepare only for an
easy participation in war already
won, or deceive ourselves into believ.
ing that our only part Is to administer
a few extra kicks to Germany already
roped, tied and being hammered into
submission.
We should prepare as II we were to
have to endure the furious and ter
rible onslaught of victorious Ger.
many-because while that may not
happen, 1t also may happen.
The Abyss Of Lunacy.
And the very abyss of lunacy Is to
refuse to prepare for something that
may happen, because we would prefer
that it did not happen.
If we begin right now to husband
our reserve money; to enforce univers.
al training and to drill hundreds OF
thousands of men as officers, soldiers
and sailors; to assemble and to equip
submarines and dirigibles and aero
planes; to instruct thousands of avi
ators; to run every gun plant and
munitions plant night and day; in
short, to enlist, drill, officer and equip
a great army and the most efficient sea
defense possible, we cannot be more
than fourth fully prepared to meet a
possible attack of a victorious Teu,
tonic combination by this time next
Spring
By working night and day, like
beavers, we can hope to get In shape
in a year to make good our defense
through another year of preparations
and that is the best we can do.
And what shall be said Of the coun.
sci that we spend this precious time,
not in preparing our own defense, but
in actually stripping our country OF its
men and money.
Why, it is lunacy--stark, staring,
babbling idiocy.
We are amazed to hear men who
ought to have more sense advocating
this policy-men, for example. like Mr.
Harding-not Mr.. Warburg, Of the Fed
eral Reserve Board. sentimentally pro.
posing that we begin by giving away
a billion dollars of the money we shall
80 desperately need to make good our
own safety.
Mental Machinery Needs Repair.
A public official possessed of such
mental machinery as that ought to
take 1t in haste to repair shop.
This is no time for silly sentimental
ism.
This Is grave and terribly serious
time, that calls for the exercise of the
most anxious thinking and speaking on
lines of common sense.
Flag-waving heroes and oratorical
blood drinkers and sentimental exploit
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