The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1920-12-17
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, DEC. IT 1920
A MILITARY POLICY FOR THE
UNITED STATES

that we are not a Wdrllhe p6Op1S' Inv
belief is based solely upon gross 1g-
norance of our own National History
The truth is that, as nation, we have
spent II per cent. of our existence III
a state of war. Of the 145 years we
have been nation, we have spent 80
wears in Major Wars, and 10 in Minor
Wars.
Our wars have never been Military
Wars; that is. wars of aggression,
waged solely for the sale of Military
CONQUEST. Neither the War Depart
ment, nor the Army, has ever brought
on a war, nor have they participated
in any agitation or movement which
has resulted in war. On the contrary,
our wars have invariably resulted
from commercial or political conflict,
sometimes aggravated by propaganda
concerning the inhuman or unchris-
tan practices of our proposed en- envy.
The actual Declaration of War has
been forced upon Congress by the
weight of public opinion.
Our War Department and Army,
forgotten and neglected during times
of peace, have consequently been
found unprepared for war and have
been made the target of much abuse
and unjustifable criticism. A typical
course of procedure in our wars may
be stated as follows:
There arises a possible cause for
war,-our State Department attempts
to make an amicable settlement,
there is a period of interchange of
diplomatic notes.-the possibility of
war becomes more or less probable
ity. The press invites public discus
sion in an effort to feel the pulse OF
acknowledgement exchange OF
notes become public property, war is
imninent-war seems inevitable, war
exists, the weight of public opinion
forces Congress to declare war There
upon we proceed to scandalous
waste of money, as prodigal now as
pirate astounding sums in frantic
but hopeless endeavor to buy back the
lost time for preparation. Where then
is our regular Army? Where then is
our National Guard? Having despised,
forgotten, neglected them in time of
peace. even up to the actual declara-
ton of war, we proceed to practice
heartless and soulless waste of their
lives. After a hasty and incomplete
preparation and partial equipment, we
throw them in battle to fight our war.
Without disparagement of the sublime
self-sacrifice of our brave soldiers and
the patriotic devotion of our whole ma
ton, it is only a series of plumbers in
warfare, after an extravagant waste of
money and property, after disrup-
ton of industrial conditions, always
resulting in financial crisis, hard
times, etc., and after many inJidious
comparisons and determinations be-
tween the unhomogenous parts of our
Army, we win the war through luck,
the blind happenings of chance, or the
benefcent act of Providence
We give our returning heroes a
short but sincere "WeIcome Home"
and settle down to count the cost. We
howl about the war taxes-we demand
that committee of Congress inVesti-
gate the conduct of the war-we vote
the war administration out of office
we demand victim wrath of sii
thoughtless Nation of people.
The thoughtful people in the United
States should thank God that we now
have chance of avoiding a repeti-
ton of our past national follies; that
one of the beneficial results of the
World War has been an enlightenment
which have resulted in an ideal mill
tary policy for the United States.
Our National Defense Act as amend
ed by the Act of June 4, 1920, offers to
the people of the United States an OPP
portunity for reasonable degree of
preparation for war during the times
of peace. 1t has taken us a century and
a half to heed the advice of Washing
ton.