The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-02-08

| The desire was TO find out whether
the zone was adequately prepared for
defense against any great power with
which the United States might become
involved in hostilities.-
The umpires of the conflict have de-
clared that the Panama canal Is COM
pletely at the mercy of any big nation
that might look at 1t with possesslye
longing in It's eyes and undertake to
seize 1t In case hostilities with the
United States should develop.
1t is declared by the armed service
authorities of the country that un-
less the American people are willing
to spend about $15,00O,000 for defense
purposes and to appropriate each year
like sum for personnel to man the
supplied armament, the canal will re.
main open to the seizure of the first
great power which attacks.
Apparently congress does not want
to appropriate money for anything ex-
eept those things actually necessary
to run the government on peace and
nondefensive basis. PROFESSIONALLY
the congressman have been influenced
by the pacifists' propaganda which has
insisted that there never will be any
more war In the world, an insistence
which history shows has been in evil
dence before the Israelites fought the
Philistines.
1t was not quite IL years ago that
the Panama canal was opened to navi-
CATION October, 1913, to be exact. AT
that time there was a belief that full
preparation for its defense in time OF
war had been made, but so rapid has
been the advance in the efficiency OF
war material that the defense schemes
of 1913 are today virtually obsolete.
Cheap at the Price.
1t has been intimated to congress
that $15,000,0O0 to save the canal
from capture is not huge sum OF
money to spend, for if the control OF
the waterway in time of war should
fall to another nation the sea forces
of the United States virtually would
be incapable of offensive action. In
brief, it has been suggested that con.
gress well might appropriate the
$15, 100000 In order to save the proba-
BILE loss of billion or two in the fu-
ture.
One of the judges of the plans sub
mitted in response to the offer of Ed
ward w. Box for program of last.
ing peace for the world was Maj. Gen.
]. G. Harbord.
General Harbord has been known
not only as soldier but as peace
lover. The chances are that his Sc
lection as one of the Box jury OF
award was influenced by the fact that
he is known to be student Of con-
ditions which might make for peace
in the world. The other night at Low
ell, Mass, General Harbord spoke on
the general subject of peace, although
his address was given the somewhat
sharp title of Penalties of Pacifism."
He said in part:
1.-The definite plans and propositions
of American pacifists fall into three
general groups. First 1t Is urged that
wars will arise from the mere exist
ence in our country of military organ
izations. A second group comprises
arguments that law has come into the
world to supplant war as a means OF
settling International disputes. In a
third category we find advocacy of dis
armament by example. based upon the
condition that If we should disarm and
proclaim our high moral stand, the
other nations would be shamed into a
peaceful attitude and would disarm In
turn, thus doing away with all pos
sibility of future war.
Penalties Of Lack of Training.
Numbers of our casualties in
France were due to the incomplete
training. General Harries has told of
regiment which received replace
ments shortly before two days en-
gagement, adding 400 men to its roll
Of 1900; and 81 per cent of its killed
and wounded were found to have been
from those 400 inexperienced replace
ments. Another regiment came out of
the Argonne with so per cent casual
ties, filled up with requirements, and
went into the Lys battle in Flanders,
where the casualties among the new
requirements were just double those
among the men of longer service"
General Harbord in his address told
some interesting things about the ex-
animation of the $4,000 peace plans
which were submitted in the Box prize
contest. He said that about 1000 of
the plans dealt with entrance into the
League of Nations in one form or an
other: but over $500 contestants rest
ed their hopes on conference of some
kind, and that 5000 were concerned
with confidence that peace would come
through some form of world court.
while a thousand others were to the
effect that the Golden Rule or fixed
day for prayer would bring the de-
sired result.
In commenting on one phase of the
contest the general said that the
sterility of the greater part of the re-
mainder of the plans is shown by the
fact that the suggestions ranged from
, world congress of musicians.
through RELATIVELY, scientific research,
to mobilization of the girl scouts" He
said that several of the planners sub
mitted birth control as plan which
would bring lasting peace.
The Last SfrotU