The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-06-08
RANK FOLLY
TO DISARM
FIRST.WEEKS
Declares Nation Must Be Pre-
pared To Defend Rights I'm
til All Nations Scrap War
Machinery.
POINTS PRUDENT PATH
fBv A AssoCiated Press)

NEW YORK, June s. - Declaring
that it would be the height of folly
for the United States to disarm first,
Secretary of War Weeks in an address
today to the graduating class OF New
York university, said he hoped to see
this nation prepared to defend its
rights. its sovereignty, and its citizens
until the day comes when all nations
by mutual consent dismantle their for
tifcations and scrap their navies. The
university conferred upon Secretary
Weeks the honorary degree of Doctor
of Laws.
Il do not love war" the secretary
declared. It abhor it. No rational be
ing who has a clear realization of its
meaning wants to have his country
became engaged in war. but conditions
may arise which make it, with all its
horrors, the only alternative TO dis
honorable peace. Then every patriotic
citizen wants war"
Sees Preparations.
81 do not anticipate war" Mr.. Weeks
asserted, but there are active and
feverish military preparations among
those with whom we might possibly
come into contact. And want to say
here and now that I cannot give mo-
ment's serious consideration to the
possibility of war with Great Britain"
Such a conflict, he declared. in his
opinion, be the end of civilization.
Il am we'll aware" the secretary
continued. that a great many good
people in this country, indeed in the
world, believe that the time has come
when the world should undertake a
general disarmament. I am entirely
in sympathy with every wise and sane
endeavor TO bring about the adoption
of a world movement with that result
in view. But we must remember that
the passions of war and the disturb
ances to society. as we'll as to the
individual, cannot be overcome or for
gotten in day. Only time, and 4
great deal of time. will bring people
and nations back to a normal condi-
| ton.
Points Prudent Move.
Worldwide disarmament must
come as the result of an Internal
ional agreement, and must be done
| simultaneously. Prudence would not
| permit our disarming while others
hold their weapons in their hands"
! Returning to the possibility of con-
| flict with other countries, Mr.. Weeks
declared the time had come when this
country must have a definite mill
! tary policy. The national defense act
! which became a law on June 4. 1920.
is the policy which he thought should
govern the army.
That the United States continued d
for so long without military policy
worth of the name" he said. was
largely due to our geographical isola-
tion and comparatively minor interest
| in the affairs of the rest of the world.
! But whether we like it or not, this
state of physical and political detach-
ment from the rest OF the world no
longer exists
Needless Waste
| The fact that the United States
plunged into wars in the past and ul-
timately emerged successfully should
not be accepted as proof that the
countrys former military policy was
sound, Mr. Weeks said Victory came
in spite of, IA ather than because Of
that policy, he declared. He called
particular attention to the fact that
all of the important wars this country
has fought were followed by investi
cations of the military system which
rev SdlcQ Iudt there were tACtSsiNc eA
penditures of public funds, needless
waste of huma life. and unnecessary
prolorgation of the struggles.
IF all men were honest" the secre-
tary concluded, there would be no
necessity for maintaining a police
force. II all nations We're disinterest-
ed. did not covet that which belonged
to others and especially did not seek
! to promote their own selfish advant-
| age at the expense of other nations,
there would be little necessity for
maintaining an army But all men
are not law abiding and all nations
are not unselfish. and. therefore We
need policemen and armies.
| Must Be Prepared.
In many cases, in some parts of
the world there are developing large
excesses of population requiring ex.
pansion of territory. The future can
only add to the requirements OF ma.
tions for increased territory and there
can be no assurance, Notwithstanding
our own disinterestedness and desire
for peace that our wealth will not be
craved by others less fortunate.
Time has not lessened the wisdom
of Washfngton's advice. in time oi
Ipeace. prepare for war Ii is as es.
sential in the preservation of the
republic in 1921 as it was in $780,"