Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-15
ECHOES FROM DEFENSE DAY

Among the echoes from Defens
Day observance we hear none from
Brother Charley OF Nebraska. VIII
announced his opposition right OF
tho bat" and implicated his runninl
partner. Mr.. Davis. But we do sc
,pe from Mr.. Davis. evidently wish
mr. to set himself right.
Tho manner by which he endeav
cred 10 crawl out OF the hole which
Brother Charley digged for him vii
1udly appeal to some as creditable
We says reasonable provision 10
national defense Is one Of the frs
iuties Of the state" OF course. bu
does Mr.. Davis consider what wal
done on Defense Day unreasonable
What does he consider reasonable
He does not say. Instead he at
eempts TO divert attention. by thu
Ytte old truth that defense OF thu
.ountry lies first OF all upon the ses
and then criticizing the administra'
Non because the navy has not beer
kent I'D to the ratio hxed at the con
terence for limitation OF armament
Afain he does not tell US where thu
Democrats In the Congress have
stood on that proposition.
Contrast him with Secretary Hoov'
or, who inherited a Quaker's antipa'
thy to war and who has seen more
Ultimately. than most. the actua
horrors Of war, who knows the tenn
per Of the world better perhaps thar
any other man in this country
Speaking on Defense Day he said
snong other things:
Some Of our people feel deep
ly that these preparations may
contribute to the stimulation OF
rnilitarism In our people. But
an convinced II We look beneath
Ae surface Of what actual mil
itarism Ia. we will find that
America Is free from 1t.
The fear that our people have
of miIitarism Is the fear OF that
dreadful spirit which contributed
so much to set the world on fire
tn 1914. and which still fingers ip
s.soms parts OF the world. Mill
/. tarism Is the direct or indirect
; fostering Of the belief that war
. Is ennobling to a nation, that war
10 the moment OF a nations
greatness. that a martial spirit
Is q benefcient catalyzer of the
blood and spirit OF the nation,
that nations even in peace gain
In power and add to their pres
tige and prosperity by dominat-
Ing armament. In the persuasion
of peoples to carry the burdens
of great armament these argu-
ments and beliefs are stimulated j
by painting some netghbor ma
4 ton as the enemy. by tanning the
i flames Of hate. OF fear and of ar
regancs in their peoples. and
, thereby IL created that spirit Of
aggression which in 1914 broke
the peace Of the world.
we have little Of this stuff;
In fact II cannot be stimulated
out OF our chosen form Of de-
Tense system. 1t does not germ
mate from small skeleton stand
Ing armies dependent upon vol
uAtary reserve forces. Militarism
feeds itself most successfully
upon populations miiitarized
through peace time conservation
Of the whole manhood. 1t Is only
IN such q nation wide school that
Il can be we'll sustained. There
can be little stimulation Of these
\ malign ideas in q nation where
ten million men could be ma ssed
in arms, yet the whole OF its
standing army Is but 100000 men.
Indeed. We are the only import
ant nation today whose stand
Ing army is less than the police
men on its street corners. Our
voluntary forces are but 10000
men and the essence OF volun-
tAry forces il that OF sacrifce
which must be made by men
whose callings and aspirations
lie in peace-whose belief Is that
.>path Of peace.
These spirits Of unitarian
have rarely been coniured up by
responsible American soldier or
statesman. Our army has never
NeAn the centerpoint Of such nats.
guiding Of the American people.
III We survey the world we md
that 1t 10 A. greatly armed a. in
the finder hex days OF 1914.
though net ia the same places.
Preparedness for defense II .
necessity 30 long as great arma-
nents. and the spirits Of fear.
hate. militant nationalism, arro-
EQnce or aggr esston linGer In the
werld. And the world l. not free
sxrem these uncomfortable bed
Fellows though some Of them be
stunned by the exhaustion Of the
last tan years. We must need
HnA1Atain, such ferces ~ assure
~ In aefense: whose equipment
ana morAlo keep Il ever ready
ana Whose public support 10 one