Evening star., 1932-02-10
Urges Preparedness to
Keep u. S. From War

have been reading with intense in
terest the reports in The Star Of the
developments unfolding in the Orient
Recently, over the radio-on q program
sponsored by your newspaper had
the pleasure Of listening to q most in
teresting and forceful speech by Sena-
tor j. Hamilton Lewis on the same sub
ject.
This rafting Of the saber" in the
Oriental quarter Of the globe comes
like "a bolt from the blue" to most
many other qualified authorities on ORR
entail affairs have repeatedly warned us
OF the danger underlying the situation
there.
Senator Lewis very skillfully pictured
the probable international dilemma in
which we later may find ourselves. 1t
was not reassuring. to say the least.
He did not attempt to lay out q future
course for our country to pursue in In
ternational affairs, but he did caution
the American people to be eternally on
their guard and our administrators to
i use the utmost Of good judgment and
common sense in carrying on our af-
fairs. No one with spark Of patriot
ism will neglect to make known their
feelings with regard to how they want
| the question Of national defense
As I view the situation today there
are two courses open to us: First, we
must admit that our great industrial
activity has been gross mistake and
Immediately proceed to dismantle our
organizations, with their foreign
branches. and be satisfied to have no
dealings, possessions or interests be-
yond our own borders, and In that way
we possibly will make no enemies. Sec
ond. we must admit that ours has been
the proper course to date In order to
maintain our giant industries 1t is
necessary that We keep, or find, mar
kets in all corners Of the globe for our
merchandise, etc. and that means deal
ings with all nations. That also means
| that in dealing with all nations the
changes OF friction developing some day
is increased, and that makes necessary
nay. imperative-the building up Of
our Navy to truly powerful proportions
in order that the trade channels are
continuously safeguarded for our mer-
chant ships, in the bottoms of which
will be American-made goods that give
employment to American citizens.
We are not in the nineteenth CEN
tury! We very suddenly have been
thrust into the very center of inter-
national intrigue and We must not meet
the situation with a Pollyanna mind
and set of Boy Scout, good conduct
speeches for our friendly CD neighbor-
ing nations. Every one knows we have
been the "fair-haired, blue-eyed boy"
among nations long enough.
Although we seem to have a mania
for preaching and reform (moraD let US
begin to use good common horse sense
in our international dealings. Let us
cast of the (perhaps) wellmeaning
but misguided fanatics who religiously
exert every influence available to make
our Nation defensively helpless.
1t was the same character Of people
who ridiculed the possibility of Wash
ington being attacked by the British in
1914. The suffering and humiliation
We had to endure on their account is
down in history. The first battle Of
Bull Run in the recent unpleasant
ness" put another feather in the cap
Of the pacifists. At that particular
time they overruled the sane advice
and warning Of disaster Of competent
military advisers of the Northern Army,
and the battle of Bull Run was a dis
astrous defeat for the Federal troops
If the "Pollyanna people" then had
been si,enced, there is no doubt that
the battle Of Bull Run would have
been a victory for the Northern forces
and the rebellion of the Confederacy
would have died borning" Much of
the suffering, destruction and despair
that followed can be laid at the door Of
the pacifsts; but we don't have to go
back to 1914 or 1861. What about the
propaganda from peace-loving peoples
and societies, etc. before We entered the
World War? What about the million
men who would spring to arms over
night to defend our country in case Of
war? We got into the war and be-
lieve from some experiences Of my own
in the Marines and from a reading Of
Gen. Pershings memoirs in your news
paper it took little bit longer than
one night to properly train soldier
Having had two years Of modern
warfare, the last place I would like to
go is to another war and, believe, the
best way to keep from having to 60 is
to do whatever is possible to prevent
other countries from attacking us, and
in the light of history that best way Is
to be adequately prepared for war in
every respect. I hope others feel the
same as I do and will exert their influ-
ence toward procuring al Army and
Navy befitting a great Nation like ours,
JOHN KENDALL THORNTON.