The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-18
AS | See 1t
.BY GEN. HUGE S. JOHNSON

TITTLERS flaming action is the most fateful
Il l. news in years. 1t was inevitable. Up in
a Teutonic corner Of Europe has lived fighting
race that has been permanently licked by no
body since the first word of recorded history
down" often but out" never. Augustus,
the greatest of Caesars sent Varus up there to
do it and all he got out Of it the worst
trimming ever handed Roman general and a
hairs breadth escape from destruction of the
empire. That ended the Roman attempt at sub
jugation.
Chaylemagne tried it and decimated those
early Heinies. They were on his back almost
before he could turn around. Frederick the
Great lost for them "all save honor" only to
come back as the most threatening military
force in Europe.
Napoleon trounced them brilliantly and him
self invented a limitation Of ornaments to
keep them down But out of Prussia came the
idea of the nation in arms" or universal con-
scription-a direct product of Napoleons own
limitations on German arms. 1t drove Bona
parte to Elba and st. Helena. Sixty years later
it almost destroyed France. A century later
it endangered the whole world
am not approving it. I am only stating
a plain record of 1000 years of human expert
ence. We ourselves helped to prove in blood
and treasure that there are no Supermen, Ger
man or otherwise-but that did not change one
of the most obvious facts in human history
that the Germans are a fighting people ana
save a threat of greater force.
lust two things have kept the peace of Europe
j in the past few years-one was the British
fleet and the other a potential 100 French divi-
sions fully equipped. Modern war on land re-
ouires a big and efficient modern industry. The
Germans have a much better one than the
French. Today I think the French army with
its allies could march from one end OF Europe
to the other-but not after the Germans re-
arm with modern equipment.
Fully equipped, they would be military
nation far superior to the French and, on the
slightest provocation, or no provocation at all,
could bring down on the world a new 1914 or
trophe on its way.
From his barbarous persecution Of the Jews
and his ruthless murder of his political oppo-
nents the world knows that he stops at nothing
of ethics mercy or humanity and he certainly
would not be stopped at political boundary by
slight thing as the peace of the world.
If the past 81 years have not given us sense
enough to keep out OF that mess, there is no
hope for western civilization. But there are
some things we should do-and do them with
the vim, vigor and vivacity of a man whose
house is threatened by vast confagration.
We should Immediately pass the pending
legislation to take the profit out of war and to
provide for the mobilization of our wealth, prop
erty and industry well as of our man power
in any great threat to our peace. We should
get our State Department to work on whatever
is necessary to make instantly clear exactly what
are the rights and duties of absolute neutrality.
If we have any engagements or commitments,
commercial or official, that can possibly get our
feet caught in the rapidly closing bear trap
we ought to rid ourselves of them at once.
Copyright 1885, by United Syndicate Repro
ductlon IN Whole or IN parC reSerVeoIs