Note and Comment

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 8, 1909

Preparation for War

The American nation has in the past sought to avoid militarism. For that reason the government has never sanctioned a large standing army; and its navy, until within recent years, has stood low in the list of the world’s navies in the number of vessels. At the conclusion of the war with Spain there came a change. The standing army was increased more than one hundred per cent, and at the present time the navy stands second in the list of the world’s navies, being exceeded by England only. Near the close of President Roosevelt’s administration, that is, on January 27 of this year, a commission was appointed by the President to consider the needs of the navy, and to report. The growth of the military spirit and the abandonment of the national modus operandi upon this matter are shown in the following excerpt from the report of that commission:—

In conclusion, it should be distinctly laid down as a cardinal principle that no scheme of naval organization can possibly be effective which does not recognize that the requirement of war is the true standard of efficiency in an administrative military system; that success in war, and victory, can be assured only by that constant preparedness and that superior fighting efficiency which logically result from placing the control and responsibility in time of peace upon the same individuals and the same agencies that must control in time of war.

There should be no shock or change of method in expanding from a state of peace to a state of war. This is not militarism; it is a simple business principle, based upon the fact that success in war is the only return the people and the nation can get from the investment of many millions in the building and maintenance of a great navy.

If the nation is to be always ready for war, it is impossible to escape the spirit of militarism. One might reason that with a navy second only to that of Great Britain, there was much less reason for anxiety over the matter of preparation for war than when our navy stood fifth in the list. But the spirit of militarism does not work along these lines. The more it is fed, the greater are its demands. That fact accounts for the present race between Great Britain and Germany in the building of “Dreadnaughts.” Canada also has begun to imbibe the spirit, the result, no doubt, of the agitation in England and the purpose of the United States to forge ahead in these matters in spite of the fact that the world, outwardly, is at peace. Spain, whose navy was practically destroyed, has declared her intention of building again, and has let contracts for three battle-ships. Russia is rebuilding her navy. Argentina, Chile, and Brazil have begun the work of creating strong navies. The spirit of war preparation on land and on sea was never so great as now, and no one is able to see the end.