Our military men tell us to get ready for war. This is their duty.
We are surrounded by potential causes of war. In their optimistic or
disingenuous moments, our militarists talk of “peace by preparedness.”
“America must be so strong that no nation will dare attack her,” is a
popular slogan.
Preparedness never has prevented war and it never will. Germany had
that slogan. Look at her! History shows that preparedness has always
led to war. It can lead nowhere else.
We build; our rivals build――cruisers, airplanes, gas factories,
submarines, armies. We build more; they build more. A race in armaments
starts, and this always ends in war.
General Frederick B. Maurice of the British army says: “I used to
believe that if you want peace, you must prepare for war; but I have
come to see that, if you prepare for war thoroughly and efficiently,
you will get war.”