New-York tribune., 1922-11-12
erslling W ants
Backbone Kept
I'm Defenses
Speaks Before Civic Feder.
alton, Asserting Mill
tary Forces Must BE Alert
and Have TrainedOffic
Sees Danger TO America
Says Turks, Victory Fndi-
Gates Possibility of Get
ting iii Near East Mix-Up


General John J. pershing delivered
the principal address at the closing
session of the National Civic Fedora
ton at Hotel Astor yesterday morn
ing. He spoke for the maintenance of
military force that could always be
counted on as a strong backbone for
the larger army war might call
forth, and for 8 well balanced, fully
manned navy. At the same time the
United States. he said, should not be
permitted to become the battle-ground
for racial antagonisms. nor an open
field for the distribution OF European
propaganda.
General Pershing's speech supplied
the keynote for resolutions on pre-
paredneFs and international policy that
were adopted before the convention
adjourned
Key of Eastern Hemisphere
''The Near East has been the theater
of practically continuous military
operations since 1914" General Per-
shing said. standing at the crossroads
of three continents, it is pre-eminently
the key position of the Eastern Heni-
sphere. Here the Orient and Occi-
dent find common frontier and di-
verse races and conflicting religions
have their origin. The developments
which have taken place since the Turk
ish victory oyer the Greeks have suf-
fciently indicated the danger which
America runs of becoming involved in
the tangled meshes of this racial, re-
iigfous and political situation.
at is folly not TO profit by the
lessons of experience as 1t would be
folly to permit the development OF
mlitarism in America. We only ask
the merest skeleton of an army, but it
should always be alert, wide-awake
and have sufficient officers, including
those Of the National Guard and re-
serves, to command any force that
might be required.
81 speak of the navy in this con-
rection because. notwithstanding the
recent radical reduction under interna-
tional agreement, there are those who
would abolish it altogether and thus
render US as powerless in international
affairs as an infant in its cradle"
Following General Pershing's speech
resolutions were adopted in favor of
an army Of 10000 men and $4,000
officers, and navy equal at all times
to Great Britain's and fye-thirds that
of Japan.
Declaration of Principles
In q declaration Of principles the as
sociation backs the adoption OF con-
sistent American policy and the con-
tinued enforcement Of the Monroe Doc
trine, cooperation with the League of
Nations and the encouragement of in
ternational congresses of science, edu-
cation, commerce and industry. A self
righteous attitude is deprecated.
"The conference takes note of the
situa on arising from the Allied debts
30 America" the declaration says. at
feels that our comrades in arms in the
great struggle should be treated with
the greatest forebearance and generos-
ity consistent with the maintenance of
credit and the sanctity of obligations
10 measures should be taken that
would tend to embarrass our late asso-
ciates or impede their recovery In
this connection we urge Congress tc
relieve our debt commiss of those
limitations as to rates of interest and
time of payment which seem to render
helpful negotiations impossible"
Speaks at Dinner and Dance
General Pershing spoke along the
same line In the evening at the Ar1nis.
tice Day dinner and dance of the, New
York chapter of the Military Order OF
the World War He was telling about
Congressman who proclaimed in com
mittee rooms that the United States
never would have another war, when
one Of his audience yelled: "They re
Iiars!'
Il wouldn't dare say that myself
remarked General Pershing after 8
brief hesitation, but I'm glad that you
draw the right inference"
Men who were sure that the United
States never again would be at wal
were illogical, to say the least, ht
said. He said time might come wher
lll-feeling among nations would b,
impossible, but he did not expect to
live long enough to see it.
In Shadow of War
CAS- long as hatred and jealousy ex
3st between people and nations" he
said, Eve are in the shadow of war
1t IS inevitable in some form or other
he said that society whose ban.
per is inscribed War against War; had
meeting recently at which young men
were persuaded to sign statements
that they would not take up arms
voluntarily under any circumstances
II am sorry l was not at that meet
ing" said General Pershing, with ap-
parently sincere regret 1t is time that
some right-thinking American arose
and took the opposite side at time
like that. Isms and schisms are getting
too strong hold on this country"