Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-06-03


individual is born to sovereignty.
Whatever he may adopt as a means
of livelihood. his real business is
serving his country. He can not hold
himself above his fellow men. The
greatest place of command is really
the place of obedience, and the great
est place of honor is really the place
OF service. 1t is your duty in the
part you propose to take to make the
largest contribution YOU can to the
general citizenship of your country.
Not long ago 1 heard a Navy chap
lain refer to the sage advice of the
Apostle to put first things first. 1t
was my understanding that this meant
putting proper emphasis on what is
essential in life and disregarding so
far as possible that which is acct
dental. The great body of American
people will. l hope, ALWAYS be devoted
to civilian life. Their main purpose
has been and will be the maintenance
of an honorable peace. 1t may not
have occurred TO some of you, but
l feel warranted in asserting II to be
true, that your success lies in giving
a very large support to the civilian
life of the Nation and to the promo
ton of the public peace. If I were not
convinced that this is true, l should
question the usefulness of the Nation
al navy.
IF we are to heed the admonition
to put first things first, very little
elaboration would reveal to us that
one of the main essentials which lies
at the very beginnings of civilization
is that of security. 1t is only when
people can feel that their lives and the
property which their industry has pro-
duced today will continue to be safe
l. L. - L.
stability of value and that economic
progress on which human develop
ment has always rested. We do not
know of any people in history where
this has not been first provided
through some form of monarchy sup
ported by a sufficient military force.
This condition of security has long
been proverbially characterized among
English-speaking people as the kings
peace All violations of that security
were crimes against the crown, as in
our republic there are crimes against
the State or the Nation.
Security Basic Need.
1T is only when such peace and Sc.
curity have been achieved under well
established customs and the orderly
process of the law that there is any
opportunity for the advancement of
liberty. When a people have begun
to respect the rights of each other and
maintain common standards of ac-
ton. they have advanced to a position
where they do not constantly require
the all-protecting power of force and
can begin to take over the making
of their own laws and the determine
ton of their own government. Find
ing that they are secure in the posses
sion of life and property. they can
begin the establishment of their lib
erty. Gradually this policy develops
until the last vestige of monarchy dis
appears and the people become entire
ly free and governing.
There is no need for me to enlarge
in this presence upon the privileges
which come to the individual in the
development of a free people. They
are the common. experiences of our
daily life and the precious heritage
of all Americans Freedom in religion
and in expression. popular educa ton,
increasing production and more equi-
table distribution, a larger independ-
ence of 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 to
maintain that first essential of Securi-
ty without a background of military
force. 1t is that background, that
support, that service which your pro-
fession helps to provide, that is your
contribution, one of the first things,
one of the essentials of the civilian
life of our country. You may not be
actually employed in production, but
YOU are helping to increase the value
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peace without which there could be no
production.
Against Large Navy.
ut is my firm conviction that the
duty of national defense, like the gen
eral 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 a republic would be threat
ened by that policy. Freedom, indie
pendence, self-government are all OPP
posed to anything that resembles a
mercenary, force. But while military
science has advanced to such degree
that 1t is necessary constantly to main
tain a considerable body of trained
experts in that profession, the true
spirit of American institutions re,
quires that each citizen should be po-
tentially q soldier, ready to take his
place in the ranks in time of peril.
either in the field or in the necessary
productive activity. Not all of our
people can pursue a long course of
study so as to become trained military
experts any more than they can give
up the time to become trained physi-
clans, jurists, diplomats or statesmen.
Our military forces on land and sea
represent the necessary accomplish
ment in that profession the same as
other professions are represented in
civilian life. 1t is exactly because we
wish to keep our standing forces small
that the average citizen must give
some attention to military affairs, pre-
cisely as he gives some attention to
other Government affairs, in order
that he may express a deliberate and
informed judgment at the ballot box.
These are some Of the principles
that your Government had in mind in
giving you a training in the science
of naval warfare and reposing in you
the public duty of maintaining the
learning of that profession for the pur-
poses of national defense. 1t is for this
object that our country remains armed
Though ultimately believe peace will
prevail, I have too much knowledge
of the history of mankind and too
much experience with the TRAITS or
human 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 en-
mites, that we covet no territory, har-
Dor no imperialistic designs and are
not arn1ing ourselves with the ex-
pectation of attacking or being at.
tackled. The power of our arms is not
only consistent with, but ought to be
regarded as an additional guaranty 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