Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-24
Tuesday, October "a, 1922.
BEWARE "sHIFTLEssNEss"

Baxters frankly taken position IN
opposition to general observance OF
Navy Day" we are impressed with
the conclusion that he has overlooked
an American characteristic which by
its very nature invites aggression
and leads to war.
We refer to the proverbial habit
OF the American to cross no bridges
before he comes to them, not both
ering his head to ascertain in adj
vance what those bridges may be
or how they may be crossed. 1.-THE
war is over, forget It," is an ex-
precision illustrating this attitude,
which some will regard as evidence
of good craftsmanship and others as
a kind of shiftlessness. Its consplcu-
Gus exponent when this country was
unpreparcd for tie great struggle,
Mr.. Bryan, gave expression to 1t by
declaring that a million men would
spring to arms over night. 1t never
appears to have occurred to him that
there were no arms to spring to.
We wonder if now he is conscious
of the fact that the attitude which
he advocated resulted in the murder
Of good American boys who were
drafted, sent across the ocean and
put into battle before they knew how
TO load or fire a gun. That was
done, soldiers who were over there
and saw it tell us the best authority
possible. Thousands were slain
ncedlcsS,y because it was thought
necessary to elect a certain man
president on lie kept us out OF war
platform at n time when well-in-
formed Observers foresaw that war
was inevitable, What a hdeous
blundcr to contemplate in the cold
light Of reality.
This characteristic trait of the
Amarican people--a loyable one that
makes for good fellowship to some
extent when not exciting contempt
in a greater and undeserved degree
viii b. the seed of our undoing if we
do not strive against it. We must
not SAY that one American is capable
OF whipping ten of any other ma
tionality. not only because it is I'M
: irue and holds up the American peo-
rlo to ridculc in the minds of those
who know better but because it in
Nitcs from others affronts which our
proud people viii not endure, the
strongest possible incentive to trou-
bic.
strength restrained by justice and
tolerance, dgnifies a nation as 1t
docs the individual and increases its
power for good. The Germans were
convinced that it was impossible for
America to get into the war effective
Is and they became more insolent
than We could tolerate. Then we got
into tho war effectively, but how?
Not because Americans were SUPER
mon. but because England had the
aaips 10 take us there and France
had the guns TO put in our hands
and the airplanes in which we might
fly. Then we, who had been loath
10 spend comparatively small sums of
money for preparedness, squandered
because OF unprcparedness as much
in two years as would have kept the
~ German army on a war footing for
the past hundred years-and MUIR
dcrcd thousands OF our youth by
forcing them into warfare without
- giving them a chance to prepare
themselves.
Are We 10 continue such condi-
tions. keep open such inducement to
war in the future, in the light We
now have Of the futility Of war and
war would wipe out white civiUxa-
Aion?
unless wo make this matter one Of
immediate and intelligent concern. II
we do not insist on intelligent pre-
parcdnoss for self defense, If We do
not recognize the need of a suitable
army and navy, efficiently ofiicered,
IL we do not realize that a pacifist in
the path OF Turk will continue to
be a mighty poor risk for insurance.
In the only sensible way we could,
this nation reduced its navy in &C.
cord with agreement by other great
powers to reduce theirs. This act,
human nature being what 1t IL, must
have had a somewhat depressing ef-
feet on that branch OF the service,
whether admitted or not. This coun-
try has made all the sacrifices in that
department OF affairs that the die
tates OF common sense at this time
warrant. II Is under obligation to
maintain In suitable condition the
navy which We have, to see to it that
dislntcsratlng influences are not toll
Grated. that this arm OF our defense
receives the recognition its i'm
portance deserves. How much Navy
Day" may serve to that end may be