The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1921-04-08

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the people. If it comes from the
banks it is still the peoples money.
Every private business concern,
in this or any other country, which
is noted for its stability, begins to
draw in the lines of finance when
overtaken with misfortune or catas-
trophe. They proceed more cautious
ly until recuperation takes place.
Exactly to the contrary with the
Government, the flood gates of waste
and extravaganza have been turned
loose, and now how are we going to
keep our debts paid and our credits
unimpaired?
This remarkable contribution in
the Post in defense of the Navy and
naval supremacy is indeed very in
teresting document. But with all of
it's convincing facts and logic, there
are still some defects in its armor.
For instance, the Secretary refers to
the fact that the United States, when
we entered the war, displaced the
construction of capital ships with the
development of the submarine craft,
mine layers and patrol boats. AS
much as to say that capital ships are
not the most important thing in ma
val warfare So also in decade or
two some of these 43,000-ton vessels
may be RELOCATED to the second or
third line warships or perhaps be-
come obsolete altogether, and then
we will have to build 100,000-ton
craft or cities on hulls at cost OF
tens of billions of dollars-if the
country has not already sacrificed its
credit and honor and turned back
ward it's star of empire.
There is another little defect in
the armor of defense for the con-
struction of capital ships, and that
is the fact that Admiral Dewey did
not destroy the Spanish fleet In Ma
Mia Bay alone for the reason that
he had a greater fleet of warships
Dewey had no strategy board to give
him directions, but he had the war
spirit and the genius to know when
to fire and he had the gunners who
knew how to shoot. They were dead
shots, and but for that our superior
navy might have gone down in Ma
Mia Bay. So, also, did Admiral
Schley put the Spanish fleet out of
commission at Santiago.
But passing, methinks / can hear
in this call for a meeting of the null
titudes to reconsecrate our patriotism
and our faith in the Supreme Be-
ing the voice of the political con-
spirator and the siren seeking to
spread false propaganda and to in
volve us in greater excuses.
Why (and now we find Mr.. Dan
iels facing the true conditions)-l
why should we refuse independence
to the Philippines and at the same
time isolate ourselves from political
association with the nations of the
old world? How on earth can we.
find it consistent to control foreign
possessions and at the same time re-
fuse to enter the League of Nations
or any other pact for the security OF
the peoples of these possessions? We
say this for the reason that 1t Is one
of the principles of the League to fos-
ter disarmament.
This country proposes, on the
stump especially, to be democratic,
and vet it's domestic and foreign pol
icies are modelled after the most rigid
autocracy. Why, oh why cannot an
American democracy promulgate in
ternational democracy? In other
words, why is democracy not demo-
cratic?
We are trying to, do what little we
can to hold our government down to
constructive business economies. Now
we are going to make more re-
markable statement.
l have not been living as close to
the house of God as some OF my
friends, but there is one thing / am
not ashamed Of, and that is that
believe in the power and wisdom OF
Almighty God and fear and respect
the Godhead. I believe that Ger
many was destroyed because of its
militarism, and just so sure will
some other great nation fall If this
militaristic spirit grows.
That nation which boasts OF its
power to conquer and destroy will
ultimately be destroyed.
1t is not always the greatest ma
val and military power which pre-
walls. No man can deny the truth
of this statement.