Deming graphic., 1919-07-15
TRYING TO SCARE US

ed the Atlantic and the first cable was
laid, the politicians have been telling
us about the vanishing isolation ~
America, and give this as an excuse
for meddling In the affairs Of other
ra,ions, especially Europe. Now they
trll us how, since the arrival Of the big
dirigihle U-34 from Europe, our
splendid isolation is completely gone,
as they told us when the big German
rndersea boat U-23 arrived at our
shore shortly before we entered the
war with Germany. But are they tell
ing what they believe? Personally,
give them credit for believeing no such
thing. The isolation OF America is
just as real thing as 1t was hundred
years ago-more splendid and more
complete, IL we will but keep our minds
ON our problems and our FINGERS en-
ployed In our own business. To solve
our own problems and to build our own
institutions would seem to be employ
ment enough, without trying to make
over the world nearer to hearts de-
sire"
Can the undersea craft and the air
craft work havoc with
our cities unopposed? Isn't
IL a fact that after forty years OF
preparation the submarine campaign
carried ON In the most lawless manner
by Germany failedl Isn't II a fact that
the zeppelin campaign to terrorize
France and England broke down and
that at the latter stage OF the war
these craft we're practically all destroy
ed and none were being used to bomb
enemy cities? And neither had TO cross
the Atlantic to do their work and the
countries opposing Germany were not
prepared TO meet these attacks.
Secretary OF the Navy Daniels Is
credited with this statement: "Air-
planes viii set out suddenly some day
and hit the first blow. Damage that
can be inflicted from the air Is incal-
culable. Army officers In France told
me that nothing effected the morale OF
our troops until ariel bombardment be-
gan. You feel defenseless under an at
tack you cannot answer"
The trouble is, as the Graphic told
in the weeks before the war, that the
government is being conducted by pacl-
fists. Today our government believes
that there Is some way to prevent war
besides preparing to meet the assaults
with something more effective than ar
gument. In the British and French sec
tors the troops did not feel so defense
less, because they could and did an
swer the attacks,so effectually indeed,
that the Boche left the air and the
aerial attacks were Intellectual. In
those sectors the Boche only took the
air In large squadrons, suddenly, and
always disappeared before the concen-
trations OF French and British air
craft. Not so I'm our sectors, the enemy
bombed and machine gunned the in
fantry In the advances, hung lazily
over our lines directing artillery bomb
bardment and chased or destroyed at
leisure the few crazy aeroplanes the
Americans took the air in TO oppose
them. Ask the "doughboys" or better
yet ask some Of our reticent aviators,
who knew that IL meant death In most
instances TO engage an enemy In the
air. Our artillery couldn't get the OBJ
servation for their fire and the dough-
boys often found themselves either in
their own barrage or the barrage 80
misplaced that It was not effective.
Whose fault Is il that we did not pro-
duce a combat aeroplane In France?
The same outfit that is trying to scare
us into league OF nations, hoping TO
buy or beg the protection we seem un-
able TO provide ourselves with. II is
true that the German undersea craft
did operate on our coasts. But what
material harm did they do? And our
navy was practically all across the
water and no adequate attempt had
been made In this, as I'm everything
else. TO meet the menace. Submarines
are slow craft with very limited
steaming radius; they must have bases
for replenishing fuel and provisions.
They can get across the Atlantic, but
are easy prey for our navy In case they
do. We have the means to effectually
combat them now and by keeping
awake we can meet any improvement
that an enemy might make to-
extend their operations. The
same practically applies to all warships.
II Is just a matter Of keeping abreast
Of the times and building a navy capa-
BILE of dcfying the greatest fleets Of
possible enemies. The power that ere
ates destructive engines has always the
power to neutralize them. This power
is the human brain.
Secretary Daniels continues: "Air-