The Washington times., 1925-06-03


and the precious heritage OF all
Americans. Freedom in religion
and In, expression, popular educa-
ton, increasing production ana
more equitable: distribution, a
larger independence Of the mind
and OF the body, the works OF
charity and humanity, q broader
culture, all mark a material and
spiritual advance which follows
in the progress of this develop.
ment. In all this progress and ali
this advance it has never been
possible to maintain that first
essential of security without a
background Of military force. 1t
is that background, that support,
that service which your profes-
sion helps to provide. that Is your
contribution, one Of the first
things. one Of the essentials to
the civilian life of our country.
You may not be actually en-
ployed in production, but you are
helping to increase the value OF
production and maintain the pub
lie peace without which there
could be no production.
Duty Should Be Extended.
1t is my firm conviction that
the duty of national defense, like
the general duty of citizenship,
should be broadly extended and
borne by all our people. We do
not believe in or wish to bear the
expense to maintain large stand
ing. military forces. The very
genius Of a republic would be
threatened by that policy. Free
dom, independence. self-govern-
ment are all opposed to anything
that resembles a mercenary force.
But while military science has
advanced to>> such a degree that
1t is necessary Constantly to main
tain a considerable body Of
trained experts in that profession,
the true spirit Of American insti-
tutions requires that each citizen
should be potentially a soldier,
ready to take his place In the
ranks in time of peril, either in
the. field or In the necessary pro-
ductive' activity.
Not all Of our people can pur-
sue long course Of study so as
to become trained military experts
any more than they can give up
the time to become trained
physicians, jurists, diplomats, or
statesmen. Our military. forces
on land and sea represent the
necessary accomplishment in that
profession the same as other pro-
fessions are represented in civilian
lie. 1t is exactly because we
wish to keep our standing forces
small that the average citizen
must give some attention to- mill.
tary affairs, precisely as he gives
some attention to other Govern
ment affairs, in order that he
may express q, deliberate and in.
formed judgment at the ballot
box.
End Of War Not In Sight.
These are some of the principles
that your Government had in
mind in giving you a training In
the science Of naval. warfare and
reposipg in you the public duty
OF maintaining the learning of
that profession for the purposes
OF national defense. 1t is for this
object that our country remains
armed. Though ultimately I be-
neVe peace will prevail, I have
too much knowledge of the his.
tory OF mankind and too much
experience with the traits OF hu-
man nature to dare to assert that
we shall never again be engaged
In war. 1t is known of all the
world that we have no present or
traditional enInities, that we covet
no territory, harbor no imperialis-
Tic designs, and are not arming
ourselves with the expectation Of
attacking or being attacked. The
power OF our arms is not only
consistent with, but ought to be
regarded as an additional guar
anty OF, the peace of the world.
And so far as we can look into
the future, so far as we can
gauge the power and temper Of
other. peoples, there never was
a time when 1t was less likely
that any other nation or com.
-bination of nations would or
could make any attack on us.
Both by necessity and by choice
the whole world Is against war.
1t has given. incompatible hos
tages to peace. Our own coun.
try is disarmed, has adopted the
policy of Limitation of naval arm
aments, has voluntarily imposed
restrictions upon the traffic in
arms, and is taking part in nego-
tiations to secure an agreement
to extend such restriction among
other nations. The policy Of peace
through reason rather than
peace through force is one in
which America has taken and