The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-07-12
NATIONAL DEFENSE
BY ]. e. Jones

washington, D. c., July g.
Twenty-Five or thirty years ago Ger
many stood out in front as pro-
Queer of manufactured goods, chem
icals, dyes, toys, games, etc. In the
years between 1914-17 we discover
ed that Germany was military
nation far superior to other Euro
pean powers. German sabotage in
this country, such as the Black Tom
explosion, German diplomatic blum
ders, and attacks upon our ships by
German raiders drove us into the
war.
The United States built up such
gigantic military strength that the
war was won for the Allies. We
captured few ships that have
since been declared Obsolete, and
accepted a warehouse full of Euro
pean IOU's that have turned out to
be of very little value.
But we did gain many rich re-
wards when we seized German pat
ents and proceeded to develop our
own dyes and variety of chemicals,
and free ourselves from depending
upon Germany for many goods and
products which are now made bet
ter here at home within our own
borders.
In 1921 disarmament confer
ence" met in Washington, and a
treaty was signed by important nat
ions that pledged themselves to re-
duce their navies. The United States
sunk some of it's ships, and for many
years our Nation showed its faith in
other Governments by reducing the
volume of our military preparedness.
The United States developed mass
production of products of every
class that might possibly be used or
employed for human and economic
Improvement. We were at peace
with the World.
Meanwhile the United States at
tanned mastery in the fields of
science, inventions, chemistry, and
other activities for the production
of war machinery that would make
things dangerous for Nations and
countries that challenged democracy.
France and England maintained mill
tary establishments of ''brave men"
who worked about half as many
hours a day for human improve
ments as Germany's people did for
destruction of their old enemies.
After few exciting weeks of the
European war we Americans can
see things and measure results bet
ter than we could at first. Our own
atmosphere has cleared and we can
look back over recent European
events and think, and plan, more
sanely, since we face the fact that
German mechanical warfare is as
perfect in it's construction as the
peacetime mechanism in the United
States.
There has been a crude awaken
ing" in Washington that reveals
hasty, mistaken and poor judgment
on the part of the Administration
and the Congress, including leaders
of all political beliefs. However,
there is general conviction backed
by public sentiment that this is not
Americas war, and one way to stay
out OF it is for the Government to
stick within its own rules as a neut-
raj. We seem to challenged other
raj. We seem to have challenged
other warning nations to come over
here and to shoot us up, before we
are prepared to receive them.
The Uuited States took couple
of years of from its peaceful routine
and spent its time preparing to win
the World War. Plenty of prepara-
ton brought us success. The decis-
ion has again been reached that
this Government must carry out
speedy plans for National Defense.
Billions of money has been voted for
that purpose. Our factories need a
years time to deliver unlimited mill
tary supplies through processes of
mass-production. After that any of
those Dictators who desire to take
chances can come over here and get
licked worse than they were in 1918.