Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-02-17
IIa11EEATIoN yvlT1ypur DESTRUCTION.

n order ithst a ulaa shall dsmunstzaae the SIN
esstl ST q hs Ps..poss 70 kssP tA IS Rsss1es Is Is not
IN rider that tic Gnited States sshan convince the
M>t.ri: t' its purpose 10 carry out in good faith all
III. agreements OF the arms conference it is not
necessary for it to destroy its own means Of self
defense.
We have agreed, OF we shall have agreed when
the senate docs its plain duty in the matter, to re-
strict Our naval establishment within certain limits.
VIC have made no agreement with reference to our.
army, but the whole spirit Of the compact is that
neither this country nor any other affected by the
agreement shall maintain an armed force, either OH
land or sea, greaterAhan is essential to it's safety I'M
der the special conditions surrounding each nation.
France has a very obvious need for a large standing
army. The United States has not, and It would be
a crime against civilization for this country tc ex-
pand its army beyond it's needs.
While this is true, and while the restriction Of
our force within the limits Of safety is. obligatory,
both from the standpoint OF the maintenance Of
world peace and from that of making our tax bur-
dens as light as possible, it would be a piece Of in
sanity for us to destroy either army or navy by i'm
pairing the efficiency of such force as we retain.
1t is to be hoped that there may never agai, be
need for the use of either our army or our navy
in warfare. 1tfs gratifying to know that the pros
.pect of such need is exceedingly remote. But if his
tory teaches anything it surely teaches the need for
prudence. Eight years ago war was about the last
thing that entered into American, thought. Such
d~esultory discussion of war as there was dealt with
the possibility OF war with Japan, and that idea was
regarded by most people as far-fetched. Yet in those
eight years this nation has been a major participant
in the greatest war of all the ages, in the course Of
which we were called on to put forth the greatest eff
fort OF which we were capable. In that war, in
stead of fighting against Japan, which a few people
thought probable, we were in association with her
against another power with which We had been on
the most friendly terms. The unexpected, the inn
probable, that which would have been considered
impossible, was the thing that occurred.
The war which actually occurred was not any
more probable than is the occurrence of some other
war within the next few years, One of the things
which helped to make that war possible was the I'M
preparedness of the democracies of the world for
such Struggle. France had a powerful army.
Great Britain had a powerful and well-equipped
navy. The United States had a navy, large as COM
pared with her army, but inadequately manned and
equipped, and our army, like that Of Great Britain,
was small and our system did not provide for the
rapid development Of a greater force.
The world has embarked. upon a policy Of arms
reduction which it is hoped may be permanent and
continuous, but no matter how far this work pro-
ceeds, it ought to be the policy Of our government to
gree of efficiency, both in personnel and equipment.
What IS true Of the navy is true of the army. Our
land force is not scarcely larger than is necessary for
police purposes. Material reductions in its size are
out of the question. And, whatever its size, it should
be of the highest type in everything that makes for
effectiveness. Great Britain lost thousands upon
thousands of men because at the outset of the war
les of raw troops that it was necessary to assemble.
That our losses were not greater from this same
cause is due to the fact that our participation III the
war was of shorter duration. ~
Limitation of armament must not be confused
with the destruction of our defensive powers.