Preparedness a Necessity

With our growth of population, wealth, and standing among the nations, we have learned that lack of adequate preparation in time of peace was the most certain way to encourage attack by other nations. The security of the Nation has been endangered and lives unnecessarily sacrificed because of insufficient training and an inadequate number of trained officers and soldiers to give instruction or assume command. Wars have been begun which would never have been declared had America been prepared. Wars have been prolonged through lack of material and trained men to carry them rapidly forward to a successful issue. Hardships have been suffered by lack of supplies. Our lack of preparedness, with its rush of preparation, a personnel inadequately trained, lack of materiel or its means of manufacture, plus the immediate danger to national existence, not only created all the elements required for hasty and extravagant expenditures of money, but caused the criminal sacrifice of many of our best American citizens. The Preamble to the Constitution states that one reason for its establishment is "to provide for the common defense," assigning that duty to the Federal Government. The "people," through their representatives in Congress, declare war; the task of carrying on the struggle devolves on the Army and Navy. A million men springing to arms overnight would evidence patriotism; but an army of a million untrained patriots in this advanced day of scientific warfare means annihilation.