Evening star., 1924-09-10
URGES
NATIONS DEFENSE
Makes Plea for Prepared
ness Against War in Ad-
dress at Club Banquet.
BY the Associa ted Press.

BY the Associa ted Press
NEW YORK, September 1O-A
strong plea for civilian preparedr ess
for the eventuality of war and a
warning against letting the future
lull us into our customary attitude of
lethargy and irresponsibility' was
voiced last night by Gen. Pershing in
a speech at a banquet at the Govern
inert Club.
Comparing the activities of the
pre-War Regular Army to those of
the present day, he said that both
the civilian attitude toward the Army
and the Army's tasks had changed
The Army's goal, he said, has be-
come preparation for service wheth
er it be blazing an air route round
the world or teaching the youth of
the land something of their civic
duties and obligations"
Army Officers as Instructors.
The Regular officers. he asserted,
have actually become active in
structors of the voluntary citizor 8
components' of the American de-
Tense system. constantly employed in
lnsurlng that ''if the time should
come, the necessary man power and
material would be at least partially
ready referring to Defense day.
he thought that the general partici-
patton of our people or that day will
be conclusive evidence that they
are not going to allow the costly
lessons of the World War to pass
unheeded"
The Army, he said had ALWAYS
taught the "loftiest cnncention of
patriotic service" emphasjzinp Tho
principle that no man is wortbv of
the protection of our Government
unless he is willing to serve undnr
the nag in the event of an emergency.
from which there follows the corol-
iary that If there exists an obligation
to defend the flag, then there also
exists duty to qualify for the
purpose"
Universal Peace Ideal,
Realizing the bitter realities of
war" he continued, universal peace
should be the ideal toward which we
must earnestly strive, without neg
lecting our sacred duty to provide
for security.
Let US not again deceive ourselves
FOR without the remotest doubt our
lack of even ordinary foresight be-
fore 1917 brought US into the greatest
Of all wars. While always working
for the settlement of international
differences with honor and by peace
full means, and always avoiding polit-
lcai entanglements, let US never again
as a people blindly conclude that a
paciflSt state of mind on our part
which involves wanton neglect, will
ever seriously deter an aggressive
foe.
BE it Understood that we are no,
advocating militaristic doctrines, but
| only urge a very reasonable plan OF
training and planning that will
render us less likely to be drawn
into armed conflict"
Another speaker was James w
Gerard, former Ambassador to Ger
many, who sketched Gen. Pershing's
career, and asserted that historians
will accord the Army's retiring leader
a prominent place in the record OF
this decades events.
Mr.. Gerard closed his speech with
| d plea for preparedness, saying: Let
US see to it that no minority of white
livered pacif1sts strike the arms from
! our hands until all the world shall
have consented to disarm."
Earlier in the day Gen. Pershins 6
was given farewell reception a,
Town Hall, by the Military order OF
the World War In a brief address
! he complimented the members or
| their work since the suspension OF
hostilities and emphasized the neces-
| sity for continual vigilance to pre-.
vent any deterioration in our strength
Bugler Sounds Mess Call.
! The scene in the Hotel Astor, where
| the dinner was held, was a vivid re-
minder of wartime. There we're uni
| forms everywhere, dinner was an
| nounced by a bugler, who sounded
| mess call and the personal flag of the