Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-01-24
CHAPTER XVII
~ HE , feelings of the people


throughout the country be-
gan to be aroused as they
witnessed the outlawry of Germany
in ruthlessly attacking and wanton-
ly interfering with American com.
merce on the high seas. The agita.
tlon for preparedness to meet a
critical world situation was on in
full swing. Congress and the presi.
dent were narassed by conflicting
demands from every side immediate
~ to put our house in order" and
TO set America safely on the road
to national preparedness. Theodore
Roosevelt was clamorously demand
ing universal compulsory military
service and was ably aided by Gen.
eral Wood and Admiral Peary. who
urged the adoption of CONSUMPTION.
Secretary of War Garrison and SEES.
ator Chamberlain, of Oregon, were
converted to this radical movement
and unwittingly became part and
parcel of the Roosevelt-Wood pre-.
paredness propaganda, These gentle,
men could see only the direct route
to the accomplishment of the pur.
pose they had in mind and were
alike unmindful Of the difficulties
and obstacles that lay in the presi-
dents path in the awy of consurn.
mating the purpose they had in
mind, To them 1t appeared that all
1t was necessary for the president
to do was boldly to announce his
program of preparedness and serene
ly to await its approval at the hands
of congress. They were unmindful
Of the difficulties of the situation
and of the consummate tact that
would be required on the part of the
president to induce congress to turn
away from the old volunteer system
and to put into effect at once a sys-
tenn that over night would trans
form America into an armed camp.
The president was bound to consider
the stern actualities Of the situation
and to withheld himself as far as
possible from too vigorous In,
sistence on any program of prepared
ness that was not additionally and
fundamentally American in it's very
essential. It was a case of honest
men seeing the same thing in the
same way, but differing as to the
practicable means of accomplishing
it. The president early realized that
the volunteer system was unsuited
to our present needs and that 1t
could not be quickly turned into an
active force to answer emergencies,
but he was certain, also, that the
people of the country must be con-
WINGED of this before they would
agree to cut themselves away from
the volunteer system under which
previous American wars had been
fought to successful conclusion.
The president felt that the old vol
unteer system was antiquated and
not to be considered, but the duty
lay upon him to convince the lead
ers of the senate and house and the
people that this was fact. This
was no easy task to accomplish.
Haste or inpetuous action on his
Part in advocating conscription could
only, in his opinion, delay matters
and embarrass the very purpose
that lay in his mind.
Mind Open On Preparedness
While Roosevelt and Garrison
were critizing congressional mac
ton, the presidents mind was open
and ito let" on the question Of what
constituted the best means OF put
ting America in q state OF actual
and aggressive preparedness. AS
president, he was bound to take
cognizance of the deep-seated an
tagohism on the part of the Amer
lean people to any system Of mill
tary preparedness that had a COM
pulsory feature as it's basic element.
It was the presidents opinion that
the people of q country so big and
varied as America had to be con-
WINGED by alternative methods as to
what, in the last analysis, was the
best means of preparing the coun-
try against aggression.
While he was convinced that we
had to be prepared and ready to
meet any emergency, he was not to
be rushed in the matter and was
keeping his mind open to find the
best and most practical method Of
accomplishing what he thought the
average opinion of the country de.
manded inthe way of preparedness.