Why We Should Not Increase Our Armaments

Citation preview

Why We Should

Our Armaments

Increase

T

Not

HERE are various reasons why the United States should not contract the disease of large armaments.

It

is

a

contagious disease and one with which the news of the

•resent

day

These

infects certain classes of our citizens.

army

ected with the

knowledge

cientific

(2) those

far;

composed

classes are

or navy,

of

(

1

who

directly, or at

are con-

give their time and

to the study of the past

who

who

those

)

and future of

second-hand, expect to

commercially by a war or an armed peace, and (3) lose honest patriots who really believe the various stories f expected attacks upon our national integrity or prosperity rofit

iduced by the hate or avarice of other nations.

The

first

class

is

members

happily small, due to our peaceful

however, active, and, in proporon to their numbers, influential. They have developed their lbject into one of considerable interest and scientific expanon. They are intelligent and mostly sincere and patriotic, he second class need have little consideration. They are, as any Americans, after business profits, and if the preaching

jaditions.

Its

the doctrines of

are,

war pays, they will use

their great influence

pon public opinion, through the press, to >ffers.

There are more of them

fill

their private

in the aggregate than

one

imerally recognizes.

The 'ction

third class

and

is

made up

will ultimately

lwing considerations

may

of

men who

are open to con-

determine the question. The appeal to

some

of them:

foi-

It is

Europe

not likely that any of the nations

now

at

war

i

be ready to attack the United States for seven decades. In the meantime any guns or gunboats we choos to make will be antiquated and a dead loss. These nation let the war eventuate as it will, will be burdened with fearfi taxes, with crippled industries, with abundant memories c the horrors of the battlefield and suffering of the non-con batant part of the population. Nothing but the most flagrai attack by us, or a combination of conditions which no or can foresee, could induce one or a group of them to ent< upon the tremendously expensive and probably uncertain ar will

unprofitable task of an expedition against the United State

For a hundred years, except for the farcical Spanish nav journey to the West Indies, there has been no attack, ar during the most of this time our preparations have been f less adequate than now.

who

Nor

is

has

felt

people

is

any more danger from Japan. Every o] the temper of the Japanese government ai

there

sure that neither interest nor desire exists for