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Show CONTINENTAL OR STANDING ARMY. Secretary Ganison'B clash with President Wilson, over the question of a continental army, brings up the issuo as to whether the United States is to have a great standing army or a citizen army. Tho Standard always has opposed the creating of a large standing army, fooling that, after a time, tho army would become a source of internal weakness and tho fountain head of war sentiment. Army officers have a trado which they desire to follow. They want war as a means of bringing themselves to tho attention of tho world. Some of them believe in their own genius and look forward to tho time when their achievements are to outclass those of Napoleon. Having a mighty army, they seok an opportunity opportun-ity to pat it In to action. Forces of that kind at work in a ropubllc are dangerous. What this country should have is an army devoted primarily to peace, and such a force can be obtained only by getting away from the professional soldier. In the present war in Europe, much of the very beat fighting has been by the volunteers from Canada and Australia. Even tho London volunteers volun-teers mado a most horoic stand under un-der most trying conditions. There is a certain training roquired, which can be obtained under the continental con-tinental plan, but beyond that there is no Imperative necessity for militarism militar-ism in this country. By this we do not mean that thero should not be more big guns, greater ammunition works, a larger number of rifles, and all the equipment of war. Tho Standard favors thorough preparedness in every detail excopt a largo standing army. Above all, we favor the enlarging of West Point and Annapolis so that eventually this nation na-tion shall have the services of 100,000 experts in war. |