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Show Strong, Permanent Army Will Be National Need When Peace Comes By CHARLES W. ELIOT, President Emeritus of Harrard Umverety m. i. i " - J Since the sinking of the Lusitania I have been convinced that the present German government is faithless with regard to all international contracts, treaties or agreements; so that no other nation, or group of nations, can put confidence in any future asseverations or pledge of that government, until by a long course ten years at least of honorable conduct the government and people of Germany have established estab-lished a new reputation for truth and honesty, and for honor in international relations. Many months before war was declared in April last, I held that active participation of the United States in the war against Germany was the clear duty of the American people, and also that the United States should join the entente allies in an offensive and defensive alliance to prevent international war when the present war is over, and therefore should maintain a strong national army and navy based on universal training train-ing and universal liability to service in war. To be sure, in respect to the provision of a strong American, army and navy based on universal training and liability to service it has thus far been quite impossible to bring congress, or indeed the general public, to definite, far-reaching action to the great disappointment of many American patriots; so that the army and navy of the United States at this moment rest on temporary or provisional enactments which provide only for enlistments for the war or "the emergency." 1 I venture to hope that when the temporary enactments of the present congress have taken effect congress will feel disposed to provide the country with a large democratic and permanent army on the Swiss model. To that end indispensable if the United States is to contribute to the prevention pre-vention of war hereafter most of the recent temporary arrangements will prove to be contributory. The people, but particularly the young men, have gone into this war to put down autocratic, divine-right government, to abolish the professional profes-sional military class and secret-diplomacy, to make justice or righteousness righteous-ness the governing principle in international relations and to promote liberty among the masses of mankind. They will not lose their ardor in this righteous cause, or abate their efforts in even the least degree. |