Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-13
Sold BY MALCOLM & DYER CO.. Augusta
CHURCH HARDWARE CO.. HaIlowell
AMESBURY.WHTTE CO., Gardner

ptetely than that Of any other pow
er, We reduced the personnel of the
standing army from $4,000 to $780,
O00, and that of the navy from 1Sj,-
600 to $4,000. While our army anu
navy is being kept at minimum OF
permanent strength. yet the country
Is. nevertheless, maintained at high
degree of preparedness. Through our
citizens training camps. the alloca-
ton Of industries according to their
most efficient use in war time, and
the inauguration Of this Defense
Day.
1.-THE Defense Act requires that
plans shall be made for mobilization
of the military forces to meet ma
tional emergency. Plans for mobil-
ization cannot be made effective
without an occa sional testing of the
machinery. Hence this test, plan
purely for defense. and wholly for
peace. This day will enable our peo-
pie to visualize our proposed plan
for mobilization. 1t will remind them
of their dependence upon, and rela-
ton to, this skeleton defense cstab-
lishment. 1t will indicate to every
individual and to every community,
just what each will have to do in the
event of a national emergency. We
have no sympathy with militarism
in this country. We are maintaining
our military forces at an irreduci-
BILE minimum. We have relieved our
people Of the expense of n great
military establishment. but put upon
them the responsibility Of a popular
defense rogram that shall provide
for domestic peace and order, and
national defense in time of national
need.
God grant that the bugles of war
may naver again call this peace-lov-
ing land to arms, but If they do, If
righteous war Is inevitable, then,
when we call TO service the boys of
this land. who in the past have he
roicaliy fought its every battle, we
will Graft them every able-bodied
man aid woman, every resource. all
wealth all industry, and make conf
mon cause aS2inSt q common enc
my. There will be no prOtiteers In
the next war. but universal service,
without compensation except that
consciousness of unsullied devotion
to Geo and country. Thus shall we
be slower to declare war and swifter
in bringing 1t to a successful conclu-
sion.
"W- have modified today, all
over iris land. the man-powcr and
industries OF America, to defend TINS
country and it's institutions. IL need
there be-. against a foreign foe. But
the foes that threaten us today are
not from without, but from within.
This Is critical time in our national
life. Sinister forces are abroad III
the land. Strange and dangerous
political theories prevail. The fun
damental principles Of constitutional
government are being attacked.
There are those among us who
would put Bolshevism and commun-
ism *; radicalism above American
ism, arc eXalt the red flag above the
Stars end Stripes. The problems that
confront us are many and grave. AS
we mobilize today the materlal
things of this land, let US mobilize
the ideal and the spiritual. Let US
as Americans re-dedicate ourselves
to the principles of constitutional
government and to those American
ideals O, civil and religious freedom
and il stice for all that drove our
fathers forth to q new world ana
new experiment in democracy. Let
us he~c and today pledge anew al
legianrn to the flag. support to the
Constitution. and obedience TO the
laws Of this land. Let us keep this
republic of OURS true to the Ideals
of the patriots of '76. true TO the
long Inc of brave men. who In the
wears that have fled have unsclhsh-
ly served those ideals. even unto
death.