Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-10-27
National Preparedness.

In an address before the Army Ord
nance association in New York the
other day, Secretary of War Weeks
declared:
81 have no patience with the groups
of silly pacifists in this country, who
,afe seeking universal peace through
Undermining with their insidious prop
ganda the ability of their own country
to protect itself What do these people
see in the signs of the times to drive
themselves into believing that we can
disarm while others arm? In what way
has human nature changed since 1914?'
We would esteem it o great pleasure
if we were able to take sharp issue
with Mr.. Weeks on this question; but
we cannot do it for the reason that we
believe that he is more than half right.
We have had war with us since
Adam was driven out of the garden of
Eden. Jesus Christ tells us that there
will always be wars and rumors of
wars, and there is no sense in anybody
trying to convince. themselves that
there will be no more war.
And national preparedness is i'm
portant-everlasting important; but
if Mr.. Weeks thinks that preparedness
consists altogether in armies, guns,
airplanes, poison gas, ETC., he is as
silly as the pacifsts to which he so
contcmptuously refers.
1t was a proud part that America
played in the World war; bat foolish
indeed are Americans who would
thump themselves or the breast and
say what great people are we. Far
better that they get down on their
knees and thank the God of Battles for
the favor he saw fit to show us.
Remember what Achior the Ammon-
itc, said TO Holofcrncs, the Assyrian
captain, when asked about the resist
ancc he would probably encounter in
his projected campaign against Israel?
Holoferncs, at the head of 10000
archers and 1900 horsemcn, had
ovcrthrown all the surrounding ma
tions as so much chaff, cut down their
sacred groves and destroyed their tenn
pies, and having learned that the Is
raelitcs were preparing for resistance,
asked the conquered Ammonitish
c2ptain for such military information
rs might be useful in eXpcditing the
completion of the work to which he
had been assigned by his master, Ma
buchOdonOsor then the mghticst king
on earth. In reply. Achior reviewed the
history of the Israclitcs from the time
Abraham came out Of Chaldea down to
date, and wound up in effect like this:
And whilst they sinned not before
their God they prospercd, because the
God that hateth iniquity was with
them But when they departed from
the way which he appointed them, they
were destroyed in many battles and
were sore, and were led captives into a
land that was not theirs. and the tenn
pie of their God was cast to the ground
and their cities were taken by their en-
cmies. But now they are returned to
their God, and arc come up from the
places where they We're scattered. and
have possessed Jerusalem. where their
sanctuary is, and are seated in the hill
country; for it was dcsolatc. Now,
therefore, my lord and governor. if
there be any error in this people, and
they sin against their God. let us con-
slider that this shall be tn il ruin. and
let as go up. and we shall overcome
them. But if there he no iniquity in
their nation, let my lord now pass by,
lest their Lord defend thom. and their
God be for them. ana we become n re-
proach before the world"
The record goes on TO say how all