The Washington times., 1936-04-06
The Lesson OfArmyDay
BIZ James T. Williams. Jr.

ing to the Nation than the
blatant agitatOr who breaches
anarchy and the destruction Of
our cherished institutions.
The pacifist with his burn.
ing zeal. which, If allowed full
sway, would cause national
CONFEDERATION, loves to iterate
and reiterate the hOary old
falsehOOd that it takes two to
make a quarrel The highway.
man who holds up his victim
engages in q quarrel all his
own, and, the victim without a
mode of defense, is at his
mercy. Criminals attack the
helpless and the cOwardly. Ag.
gressive nations attack the
weak.
"The pacifists of today will
not COncede diSagreeable actu.
alities; and, in q world of vary.
ing emotions and motives that
is little different in its passions
than the world has ever been,
they shut their eyes and cover
their ears. They will not recog.
niZe uncomfortable truth and
in the language of Emerson,
the most uncomfortable truth
in the long run is a safer
travelling companion than the
most agreeable falsehOod.'
TRADITIONAL NEGLECT
"Were there nothing else to
remind us of our duty, the re-
Gently published Experiences
in the World War of General
PerShing would bring wildly
to us the unnecessary sacrifice
of lives and the waste of treas
ure in our traditional neglect
to provide for the Common
Defense of the Nation.
Experience. apparently, had
taught us nothing and we en-.
tered the World War totally un.
prepared. If we had needed the
lessons Of the past and had had
a suitable Army and Navy and
the preparedness of each we
would not have been forced into
war, our present economic Situa-
ton would have been far diff.
ferent, and France would not be
lOtted with the graves of Ameri.
can soldiers.
Gas a fighting nation we had
become soft and flabby, and the
constant bleating about disarm.
ing as an example to the world
SO reduced our military strength
that not only were we not reck.
Oned with but our very weakness
made us an object of contempt
to those who would invade our
rights.
Lack of preparedness did not
keep us out Of war, the conSe-
quenceS and results of it forced
us into war. Of course, you who
are here today and your com.
paniOnS in service did the job
finally.
"Our unparalleled resources
in money and men ultimately
were modified and America
played her proud part, but un.
preparedness made us pay the
awful price in blood and
treasure.
"And here a word Of economy.
Balance your books with the
money saved in rendering unfit
and unprepared with the money
expended because of it. But
worse, balance the money saved
with the blood split, the terrible
heart burnings at home and the
heroic sufferings of our youth
abroad.
eve were forced into war be-
cause our adversary believed US
unfit and unable to fight If
we had been ready and pre-
pared, no cause of Offense
would have been given US, no
assault made upon our rights,
and we would have been en-.
gagged in no war.
Balance against the pittance
saved by the preachment Of
unpreparednesS the billions ex-
pended and the lives of our
dear ones"
This is the lesson of Army Da!
as eloquently interpreted by al
American statesman unafraid, b!
the American father Of tW'
brave sons who served the color
with distinction in the Grea
War. and by the American grand
father of two worthy grandSons
who are not "too proud" to trair
with the colors in peace to de
fond tina no1nra ~ uya1s RnrnAR