The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-08-08
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Paci6sts and Gov. Bryan
Attack Defense Day Plan
Coolidge Upholds 1t.
BY EDWARD W. PIcKARD


BY EDWARD w. PIcKARD
TONFIRMED pacifsts and certain
~ political opponents Of the Repub-
Hcan administration. including Gov
ernor Bryan Of Nebraska, Democratic
vice presidential nominee. and the La
Toilette group, are making a political
issue Of the national defense day."
September II, planned by the War
department. They insist that 1t Is to
be mobilization day." because some
Of the department statements mad
vertently called 1t so, and they de-
scribe it as "militaristic gesture"
President Coolidge did what he could
to dispel this idea by sending long
letter to Secretary Libby of the Ma
tional Council for the Prevention of
War, in the course of which he said :
what is proposed for September
II Is merely compliance with the
purposes Of the national defense law
Of 1920. It Is not a mobilization, and
the people who first attached to 1t
the term mobilization day and then
proceeded to condemn 1t have been
utterly unfair. Most of them, am
sure, have been innocent Of intent to
be unfair, but they have been misled.
Profoundly hoping that the out
having Of war from this world may
be accomplished, I am yet unable to
detect any inconsistency in giving my
approval to the program Of defense
day. / wish crime might be abolished :
but would not therefore abolish
courts and police protection. wish
war might be made impossible. but ]
would not leave my country unpro-
tected meanwhile.
"The defense test seems to me a
means to assure the fullest efficiency
to the extremely modest defense force
our country maintains"
Governor Bryan disagreed with the
Presidents statements and announced
that he did not favor any plan econ
templating mobilization Of the civil or
Industrial resources of the country
or anything else that savors Of ma
tional holiday devoted to preparation
for wars" He said, however, that he
would issue general orders to assem-
BILE National Guard troops Of Nebras,
ka ''for inspection and practice in
military activities"
John W. Davis, Democratic nominee
for the Presidency, announced that be
agreed with the views expressed By
the governor Of Nebraska. He added
sit is one thing to keep the mill
tary organization Of the country in
adequate practice; 1t is quite another
to encourage demonstrations that can
be nothing else at time when every
energy should be bent in getting the
world back to peace and to. work
calming the prejudices and passions
growing out of the World war and en-.
couraging useful trade and commerce
In all these America should take the
lead"
Nearly all the state governors dis
scented from Bryan's views and the
plans Of the War department are go
ing ahead with apparently the general
approval Of the people Of the country
Senator LaFollette's campaign
speakers. it is said. are preparing tc
raise the cry Of choice between Emil
itaristic Coolidge" and peaceful La
Toilette" In sections where they thinl
1t will make lot Of votes for the In
dependent candidate.
CENATOR LAFOLLETTE has wor
- for his Presidential candidacy rh'
support of the American Federation
of Labor. The executive council o.
that organization has advised III
100000 members to vote for thu
Wisconsin man as against Coolidge
and Davis on the ground that, whil'
he is not everything that labor wants
he is much nearer to that than eithe
Of the others. Labor is told it cal
expect nothing from either the Demo
cratic or the Republican party thi
year.
This action is taken with the full
approval Of President Samuel Com
pers, but the veteran insists that l
Is for this year only and does no
mean that labor should ally itself witt
any future third party. He and tn
other members of the legislative com