The Washington times., 1921-10-09
By REAR ADMIRAL FISKE.--.
Civilized Nations Have the Most Arraanerats
Rome Succlnnbed to Barbarians When Degereracy
the Romans Made Them Neglect Their Armament With
Protection Armament Has Given No Nation Could
Ever Maintain Its Civilization. This, the Case
Proves Corruption Undermined Her Armament and
Russia Fell Into Condition Not Far Bararisrr"

AON~ q ~&V1 8NAA O1NH1
riors armed with weapons such as
soldiers used. .......
Since the records Of his~ go no
farther back than the srfmes that
the ancient inscriptions illustrate.
we cannot ascertain how the ma
tons had developed the ornaments
that they then possessed. But since
at that time there were many other
nations and tribes in the various
stages Of civilization, since the
same remark Is true today. and
since we know the history Of the
nations that now are great. 1t In
easy to see the process.
In the first stage we see the
primeval savages. among whom the
family was the only organization
shat existed. Later. families that
were related to each other banded
together into clans and tribes.
It seems clear that some tribes
banded together for reasons that
had little relation to need for de-
Tense from other tribes, because
there was little need for defense.
This was in countries where the
people led a pastoral life. leading
their flocks and herds from one
place to another in search Of food.
AZ the land there was fitted for
grazing only and was far from fer
tile. the tribes had to keep a con-
siderable distance apart; and as
few areas were SO much better than
others. as to be worth fighting for.
few causes of fighting arose. and
therefore little need for armament
existed.
Similarly. in many Of the hot and
moist regions Of the tropics, where
hearty all the land has been COW
cred with vegetation of all kinds,
and where fruits and vegetables
have been easily obtained from the
lad. It has not been necessary to
eNeAt az ohNCt " BCI AoOu. TNeltheT
has 1t been necessary to fight to
get clothing and shelter. because
little clothing or shelter has been
required. and II could be gotten
readily without fighting.
II all the tribes had lived in such
conditions as these there seems no
reason to believe that any growth
Of armament would ever have &C.
CURED. But there seems no reason
also to believe that any growth Of
civilization would ever have occur.
red Civilization has never grown
In hot and moist regions contain.
ing large areas Of fertile land.
An exception to this statement
must be made In the case Of fertile
areas that were near areas that
were not fertile; for the reason that
men would fight to gain possession
OF the fertile areas. This was the
case in Egypt. where the areas
bordering the Nile river, near the
desert. were gained by tribes that
were able to seize and hold them
by fighting. The same is true Of
the fertile lands Of Assyria and
Babylonia and Persia.
Naturally. the formation q,
large tribes. and later of nations.
came after the formation, OF small.
er tribes. and other organizations,
In fact. large tribes and nations
were formed by the uniting OF
smaller tribes and organizations.
This was usually accomplished not
voluntarily. but by a powerful tribe
conquering weaker tribes and an
nexing them.
The act Of conquering was, OF
course, accomplished by actual
fighting. In the earliest times, be.
fore men had learned to make
weapons, the fighting must have
been done with the arms and f,sts
and legs. assisted by the use OF
stones and branches torn from
trees.
Later, clubs were made from the
branches and so shaped as to be
capable Of being welded quickly
and Of inflicting blows that could
break in the skull Of a. man and
cause him other injury. Then
some genius sharpened a branch
into a point that could be forced
into the flesh. and the first rude
spear was born.
A certain kind Of spear, called
by us now javelin or dart, could
be hurled from a distance. Then
came one Of the most important
inventions ever made, the bow and
arrow.
SURVIVAL OF STRONGEST.
From that time. until the gun
was invented. about 600 years ago.
little change was made in any Of
the elements that make up arma-
ment. The tribes and nations that