Evening star., 1925-01-11

II AM always sorry when a military
man becomes prominent and
makes speeches and writes for
i print. These men always de-
clare we are in danger and
| should prepare for war.
How common the story that New
York is unprotected and might be
| easily destroyed!
1t comes from military men. Yet in
| the wars in United States history we
have usually attacked. Other nations
have let us alone. The military debt
| under which we are now staggering
and will stagger for many years to
come-was the result of our engag-
| ing in war when we were not at
tackled. We attacked Spain, Mexico.
Germany.
l have seen enough of soldiers and
sailors to know they are educat ed
and Intelligent gentlemen, but they
give bad advice. This constant talk
about danger from attack does great
harm, and 1t isn't true. 1t does not
become gentlemen.
Military men are rapidly promoted
as result of war, as politicians are
promoted as result of elections.
| This is one of the bad features of our
military system. There is an old
story that in China doctors are paid
| to keep their patients well. When a
| doctors patient becomes i'll he is be-
lieved to be a dangerous doctor,t and
| his head is cut off.
Military men should be paid to keep
| US out OF wars, rather than to en-
| courage US to engage in them.
We have been so educat ed in the
| war idea by military men that a man
| of peace is believed to be a coward
| The most sensible and decent thing
1 in he ovid 10 hoo q
| been made disreputable by profes-
| sionaI soldiers
| I always liked that story of an
| tiquity about Asoka, a mighty king
and general He became so familiar
| with the horrors of war that he hated
| 1t, and thereafter devoted his life to
| peace.
And his nation prospered more be-
| cause of peace than 1t had ever pros
| pered because of war. Besides, his
memory is blessed everywhere by
| mankind
| Why should our military men not
| think more of Asoka and less OF
| Napoleon?
| A great soldier, but Napoleon was
| so quarrelsome, impudent, mean, that
] he was a pest and died miserably in
| stead of gloriously, as Asoka did.
| fOung men O1len say tney maven
| the chance now their fathers had
| when the country was newer. Moth
| ing in it. There is pioneering young
men may engage in now that will pay
| them handsomely. Let them pioneer
| in the old-time efficiency, in the old
| time devotion to their jobs The old
| fellows have wandered away some
what from these virtues. They have
| too short hours, too many do live
wire stunts and belong to too many
clubs.
a realization of these faults. There
is so much shiftlessness everywhere
now, even in the best business places,
that the young men will find great
appreciation for better work. And
pay! There Is a sack of money walt
ing to be shaken into every young
mans lap who will work as many
hours as he should and practice the
reliability, politeness and efficiency
| the older men preach and so fire.
Quently neglect themselves.
y n
An old fellow writes me: 81 note
1 your free discussion of women and
your profound admiration for good
ones. The best ones have strange
| traces of devilment in their makeup
We have seven children, all Of them
married and doing well. I adore my
wife, and have since I first met her,
| but occa sionally I detect her in mean
| little tricks that shock me. We're