The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-11-19
MAINTAINING 4 STRONG ARMY.

pressed in this country that the United States should
again be caught unprepared to defend itself ade
quatey against any possible enemy Yet at this mo-
ment, in the enthusiasm over the defeat Of the Ger
MANS there is tendency to throw overheard without
further ado all the war organization Of the United States
Men in high places talk of peace though it had been
fully achieved and settled beyond the possibility of
fracture and they are eager to demObiize the array
rush the boys back from Europe quit the production Of
war materials and abolish all rules affecting manu-
facture, food agriculture and commerce. The govern
ment agencies have yielded to this tendency to con-
siderable extent without waiting for the outcome of the
war.
universal and bssfu peace and brotherly love? What
warrant is there for that assumption? Why do many
Americans jump to the conclusion that the cessation of
shooting is the same thing as the permanent settlement
of the worlds troubles? If they would contemplate the
situation little they would perhaps admit that the sus-
pension of hosites does not by any guarantee
the complete and permanent settlement of the questions
that have torn Europe to pieces and inflicted wenigh
mortal blows upon many nations.
War is effort to attain political object by the use
of force The political object is the thing desired not
the fighting Is the political object Of this war atained2
Not yet 1t must be pursued by mixed methods of force
and negotiation. Negotiation will become more import
ant and force will play minor role, if all goes well
But what if all does not go well? Who can guarantee
that all the nations of the world will lay aside their
passions and cheerfuy sacrifice their interests upon
demand for the sake of the general welfare? Is not that
proposition just little too heavenly for this wicked
world?
But assuming that all will 60 WELL force must still
play strong part in the settlement of peace The dis
urber of the worlds peace must pay for his crimes and
his tangible wealth is sufficient to cancel the debt
Germany has not money enough to pay Belgium alone,
to say nothing of France Russia JAPAN Roumana, Ser
bia Portugal Brazil the British empire and the United
States But Germany Austria, Bulgaria and Turkey
have territory which could be made yield revenue AS
surely the Shines the allied nations will take and
occupy enemy territory toward satisfying the
debt. There is no other way out The allied nations
staggering under debts which cannot be avaded The
necessity compes them to collect from their debtor all
that he pay. France, for example, cannot recover
from her nearly fatal wounds within fifty years unless
at least partial payment made by Germany for dam
ages done Money alone will not resusctate the out
ragged nations They must have restored to them the
materials which enabled them to live. The machinery
and equipment of farms, factories mines and forest
must be returned whenever possible in order that ind
vduals and communities may work out livelihood again
Germany must pay in fuel, timber and other raw
materials
The armed forces Of the allied powers must occupy
extensive regions in the enemy countries Among these
armed forces must be American troops which at this
moment entering Germany territory. Those forces
will not leave German soil for many years, if ever The
boys marching in must be relieved in due time by
other boys from the United States just the troops
the Philippines have been relieved during the last twenty
years. 1t supposed by many hasty Americans that
the flag would fly few weeks at Manila and then be
hauled down. What do they think about it now?
American forces occupying Germany territory for
twenty years That sounds preposterOus at this moment
How will it sound at the end of the 2O-ysar period when
Germany has repaid only One-fth or onetenth Of the
enormous debt that she owes to the world?
all goes WELL there vii lbe need Of American troops
at home and abroad and therefore there should not
much haste in demobzng the army and the war indus
tries that sustain the army If all does not go wel-if
human nature should behave normally at the peace con-
ferences that to begin and stretch out inter
minaby into the coming mOnthsthen there will also be
need of American troops
In peace and in war; there must be strong American
army from this time forth,-Washington Post
t Incidence is an enemy to home. Some men are toe
lazy to provide decent eOnveniencss at home 1t is