The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1930-02-20

we voluntarily place upon ourselves
contributory to war, or does it make
it less likely that our country will be
led again into the heavy cost of war?
Is it a peace meausre or war meas
ure? The same fallacy appears in
that argument that we spend more on
our army and navy than any other
country in the world. This is only be-
cause we feed, clothe, house and pay
our soldiers and sailors on much
higher scale than any other country.
The figures as to the actual size Of
our army and navy speak for them
selves. We have, measured in the
number of men enrolled, the smallest
army in the world in proportion to our
population and wealth.
. Nor is the money spent on our army
and navy wasted. Those familiar
with army training know that the dis
cipline, regular habits and educational
activities of the army are a real con-
tribution to the young men who take
this training. Both army and navy
provide training in trades; the navy
is, indeed, a vast manual training
school for scores of thousands of
youths who could not afford to attend
an ordinary institution providing such
training. In times Of unemployment
like the present the pressure of COM
petition from quarter of a million
men is removed from industrial life,
and they are getting experience which
will make them useful citizens. They
are menace to no man and no nation
which does not have designs on the
safety of Americans. Services in the
National Guard is service contribut-
ing to personal efficiency and good cit
izenship.
Inability to defend our nation in
case of attack might cost this
country hundred times more than
the cost of reasonable preparedness.
It might conceivably even cause the
loss of our national existence, and
while some pacifsts would not count
this loss as being of any account,
there are millions of Americans who
place pretty high value on the per-
petuity of this nation.
In his farewell address, George
Washington, who is of course back
number to our visionary crystal gaz-
ers, admonished his countrymen and
his posterity to maintain the nation
Sin reasonable posture of defense"
1t was good advice in his day, and it
is just as good advice now. Neither
preparedness nor unpreparedness is
guarantee against the occurrence of
war, but the school boy who is known
to be unwilling to defend himself gets
most of the lickings, and for the rich
est nation in the world to be careless
in preparing protection against at
tack would in effect have please
Kick Me" sign hanging on Uncle
Sans coat tails, with plenty Of bull
lies willing to accept the cowardly in
vitation.
Police protection costs a lot OF
money but it would cost much more
not to have it. Fire and life insur-
ance cost a lot of money, but it would
be extravaganza and not economy not
to have it. Probably some impressive
figures could be worked out to show
how much it costs to keep locks on
doors or on windows, and keep watch
dogs, but even the ultra-pacifist, more
anxious for his personal safety than
for that of the nation, does not in
dulge in this alleged economy on the
theory that burglary being wrong, no
one should take precautions to make
it improbable. When the cost of a
thing is considered, the question of
whether it would not cost more not
to have it is worthy of thought, and
in no case is this more necessary than
in the matter of national defense, be-
cause when the need comes it cannot
be suddenly conjured into existence.