New Britain herald., 1925-06-03

ment of liberty. When a people have begun to respect the rights Of each other and maintain common standards of action, they have ad- yanced 10 a position where they do not constantly require the all.pro- tecting power. of force and can be- gin to take over tho making of their owu laws and the determina- ton Of their own government. Find ing that they are secure in the pos session of life and property, they can begin the establishment of their liberty. Gradually this policy de- velops until the last vestige of mon- archy disappears and the people be- come entirely free and seh-goycrn- ing.
 Privileges Of Free People
 There is no need for me 10 en- large in this presence upon the privileges which come 10 the indi- vidual in the development of free people. They are the common ex- periences of our daily life and the precious heritage of all Americans. f Freedom in religion and in express sion, popular education, increasing production and more equitable dis tribution, a larger independence or the mind and Of the body. the works of charity and humanity, broader culture. all mark a material and spiritual advance which follows in the progress of this development. In all this progress and all this ad- vance it has never been possible 10 maintain that first essential of se- curity without background of military force. It is that back ground, that support, that service which your profession helps 10 pro- vide. that is tour contribution, one of the first things, one of the es- sentials 10 the civilian life of our country. You may not be actually employed in production, but you are 1 helping to increase the value of pro- duction and maintain the public peace without which there could be no production.
 It 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 standing military forces. The very genius of re- public would be threatened by that policy. Freedom, independence. self government are all opposed to any thing that resembles a mercenary force. But while military science has advanced to such a degree that it is necessary constantly 10 main- tain a considerable body Of trained experts In that profession, the true spirit of American institutions re- quires that each citizen should be potentially a soldier, ready 10 take i his place in the ranks in time of peril. either in the. field or in the necessary productive activity. Not 1 all Of our people can pursue long | course of study so as to become trained military experts any more ] than they give up the time to be- come trained physicians, jurists, | diplomats, or statesmen. Our mili- tary forces on land and sea repre- sent the necessary accomplishment in that profession the same as other 1 professions are represented in civilian life. It is exactly because we wish to keep our standing forces small that the average citizen must give some attention to military af tfairs, precisely as he gives some at tention to other government affairs, in order that he may express a de- liberate and informed judgment at the ballot box.
 Reason For Armament
 These are some of the principles that your government had in mind ! in giving you training in the science of naval warfare and repos- ing in you the public duty of main- taining the learning of that profess sion for the purposes Of nation de- fense. It is for this object that our country remains armed. Though ul- tlmately I believe peace will prevail, have too much knowledge Of the history 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. It is known of all the world that