OCR Text |
Show READ HISTORY. . ! The Great Napoleon, dying in exile at St. Helena, sent i a last letter to the little son he worshiped, and whom he i had hardly seen. "Read history," he wrote, and again "read history." The study of the past was to him the one foundation of true understanding and a true philosophy. It docs not matter how one views the conqueror's stupendous stu-pendous work of far-flung dreams of empire. No one today questions his sheer ability, his insight into men and matters, his breadth of statesmanlike vision. He loved the little king of Rome, the duke of Reichstadt, who was to die, broken-hearted, before he had the chance to try his eaglet's wings. We may believe a father's love inspired in-spired the last advice he gave his son. The mere consideration con-sideration of who that father was should serve to make that advice seem worth the while. It was evident" that the pacifists do not read history. The last of our own land, like that of every other, confutes con-futes their arguments. There was a time when Thomas Jefferson dreamed of disarmament. He thought a seagoing sea-going navy worthless, and urged the construction of gunboats gun-boats and floating batteries instead. No more real warships war-ships were built for the little navy of the young republic. It would not safeguard its seaborns trade. Great Britain and imperial France both took liberties. We fought one war, and learned at the cost of enormous loss and national humiliation what unpreparedness meant. The lesson bore no fruit. At the close of the civil war the United States intimated inti-mated to France that the presence of the imperial troops who supported Maximilian's shaking throne in Mexico was undesired. France did not fight. The United States was prepared than as never before or since, and the mere movement of 60,000 Americans toward the Rio Grande brought speedy evacuation of Mexico. The Monroe doctrine, doc-trine, which had been threatened at our very doors, was upheld and strengthened. Preparedness does not incite war. It prevents war, and the past proves it. When nothing can prevent war, and it seems that such times come, preparedness makes Avar infinitely less costly. It shortens war's horrdrs. England's plight in the great war should be lesson enough. If we prefer to study at home, American history will lead you to the same conclusion. Cleveland Plain Dealer. |