Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-02-01
NATIONAL SECURITY


"RESOLVED that we approve and
endorse the recommerd ation of the
President Of the United States to the
effect that. while every reasonable eff
fort should be made toward the gen.
sral reduction of world ornaments,
not alone upon the sea but also upon
land. National Security requires that
the United States Army shall not be
reduced below 100000 men: and
BE II Further RESOLVED that
We urge a continuance of Prepared
ness on the most economical basis
including therein the development of
the Reserve Army, the extension of
the Citizens Military Training
Camps, an increase in the size. Of
West Point and development of in
dustrial preparedness to provide the
nucleus OF necessary material: and
that we urge upon Congress the vital
importance OF maintaining this de-
Eree OF preparedness as meeting the
reed of the country from the view
point Of our distinguished experts as
20 the minimum national insurance
against attack"
These resolutions adopted by the
National Security League, commend
themselves TO those Of us who have
not expected that however successful
might be the Washington Conference
or whatever OF promise the future
may have for the League of Nations
the need OF an adequate police force
would persist. And an army Of $780,
900 10 none too large to satisfy that
need and serve as a nucleus Of an
army should the occasion arise.
There may be some who believe
that any sort OF preparedness Is con-
ducive TO war. To such. an answer
may be found in the history Of the
country. which has never been pre-
pared although 1t has,resorted to war
several times and always with great
sacrifice OF life because Of unpre-
paredness. Furthermore it may be
urged that IT is unjust as we'll as
most unwise in other respects to
threaten succeeding generations with
such burden Of sacrifice.
Experience has never found
menace in well-trained citizenry.
We believe our soldiers who were
trained for the war are better citizens
today because of it. by this we do
not mean that burden of military
equipment. great aggregations of
capital financially interested in sup
plying it. the development and
maintenance of a warlike cult and
the training of large numbers of
ambitious men to regard war as the
only field OF endeavor in which they
may attain distinction makes for
peace. On the contrary we would
regard that a menace. Indeed we
would not blindly accept 1.-THE view.
point Of our distinguished experts"
Some of them advocated the retention
OF poison gas in warfare, with which
proposition we do not agree. We
would have it outlawed. but we would
not have our government kept in is-
ncrance Of the processes of its manu-
facture, not be ready for intelligent
defense in the event of its use by a
desperate enemy. We have faith
that our country would not resort to
/, for purposes Of aggression IL such
use had been decreed unlawful by the
concensus OF civilized peoples.
Believing it desirable that our
young men shall he trained in the
fundamentals necessary to organized
effort In time OF emergency, and
realizing that further training is es-
sential for those on whom we are to
depend for leadership we find nothing
In the provisions of the above resolu.
tons repugnant to common sense or
the practical idealism manifested in
the present efforts to avoid war az
an arbitrament Of national disputes,
a man need not be anemic and I'M
disciplined in order to bo a good citi.
zen and peacefully inclined.