Evening star., 1926-12-07
National Defcn.a

! our policy of national defense is not
| one of making war, but of inSuriu@
| peace. The land and sea force of
| America, both in it's domestic and for
eign implications. is distinctly a peace
force. 1t is an arm of the police power
to guarantee order and the execution
OF the law at home and security To otIr
citizens abroad. No Sclf-respcCting ma.
tion would neglect To provide an aruN
and navy proportionate to its popula-
tiOn, the extent of it's territory ami
the dignity of the place which il 90
cupieS in the world. When it IS con.
sidered that no navy in the world.
with one exception, approaches ours
and none Surpasses it, that our Rcgu
lar Army of about $4,000 men is thu,
equal of any other like number ct
troops. that our entire permanent ana
reserve land and sea force. trained
and training, consists of personnel
OF about 61O, 1000. and that our annual
appropriations are about $3.50 900 .0UN
year, expended under the direction
of an exceedingly competent staff. it
cannot be said that our country is
neglecting it's national defense. 1t is
true that a cult of disparagement cX-
lists. but that candid examination
made by the Congress through it's va
rious committees has always reas
Sured the country and demonstrated
that 1t is maintaining the most ado
quate defensive forces in these present
years that it has ever supported in
time of peace
This general policy should be kent :
in effect. Here and there temporary
changes NAV be made in personnel to
meet requirements in other directions
Attention should be given to subma-
rtneS, cruisers and air forces Particu-
lar points may need strengthening,
but as a whole our military power IS
sufficient.
War Debt Weak Spot.
The one weak place in the whole line
is our still Stupendous war debit In
any modern campaign the dollars are
the shock troops. With n depleted
treasury in the rear. no army can
maintain itself in the field. country
loaded with debt is n country devoid
of the first line of defense. Economy
is the handmade of preparedness. If
we wish to be able to defend ourselves
to the full extent of our power in tho
future. we shall discharge as soon as
possible the financial burden of the
last war. Otherwise we would face "a B
crisis with a part of our capital re-
sources already expended.
The amount and kind of our mill
tary equipmenS is pre-eminentlv u
question for the decision of the Con
gress, after giving due consideration
to the advice of military experts and
the available public revenue. Moth
Ing is more laudable than the cooper
alton of the agricultural and indus
trial resources of the country for tho
purpose of supplying the needs Of
national defense. In time of peril the
people employed in these interests
volunteered in a most self-sacrifcing
way, often at the nominal charge of
dollar a year. But the Army and
Navy are not supported for the benefit .
of supply concerns; supply concerns
are supported for the benefit of the
Army and Navy. The distribution OF
orders on what is needed from differ
ent concerns for the purpose of keep
ing up equipment and organization is
perfectly justified. but any attempt to
prevail upon the Government to pur-
chase beyond it's needs ought not to
be tolerated. 1t is eminently fair that
those who deal with the Government
should do SO at a reasonable profit
However, public money is expended
not that some one may profit by II.
but In order to serve public purpose.
Opposes Competitive Armaments.
While our policy of national de-
fense will proceed in order that We
may be Independent and self-suffit
cient, / am opposed to engaging IN
any attempt at competitive arna 4
ments. No matter how much or hov
little some other country may feeh
constrained to provide. we can wei
afford to set the example. not of be
ing dictated to by others but I'D
adopting our own standards We arc
strong enough to pursue that method
nj I.n yI4xI-
model for the rest of the world. We
are eminently peaceful, but we ard
by no means weak. While we sub
nit our differences with others, noi
to the adjudication OF force, but of
rea son. ii is not because we are un
able to defend our rights. While we
are doing our best to eliminate all 10
sort to war for the purpose OF settling
disputes, we cannot but remember
that the peace we now enjoy had I,
be won by the sword and that If thf
rights of our country are to be de
Tended we cannot rely for that pur
pose upon any one but ourselves. Wa
cannot shirk the responsibility
which IS the first requisite Of all gov
ernment, of preserving its own In
tegrity and maintaining the rights
of it's own citizens. 1t is only in a
cordance with these principles tha
we can establish any lasting founda
tions for an honorable and permanen,
peace.
1t is for these reasons that oul
country. like any other country, pro
poses to provide itself with an army
and navy supported by Il merchant
marine Yet these are not for com
petition with any other power. For
wears we have besought nations 10
disarm. We have recently expressed
our Willingness at Geneva to enter
into treaties for the limitation OF all
types of warships according to the
ratio adopted at the Washington
Conference. This offer is still pend
ing. While we are and shall continue
to be armed 1t is not as a menace,
but rather common assurance OF
tranquility to all the peace-loving
people of the world. For us 10 do any.
less would be TO disregard our obligaF
tions. evade our responsibilities and
jeopardize our national honor.
Veterans.