Excerpt from Leading Opinions Both for and Against National Defense At this time, when the people of the other great nations of the world are destroying one another's property, robbing one another and cutting one another's throats, it is only natural that the people of this country should begin to inquire about our ability to protect our homes from destruction, our property from plunder, and our throats from being cut, in the event of our being drawn into this war, or into a war with any of the belligerent nations after the present war is over. The people are asking questions of those in whom they have confidence - asking questions of those who are supposed to know what our needs actually are for national defense. The persons of whom the people are inquiring are divided into two main classes, namely, the pacifists or advocates of unarmed preparedness, and the martialists, who believe in armed preparedness against war. The pacifists differ widely among themselves. Some hold the extreme opinion that we should wholly abandon all armed preparation, that, in fact, we should disarm to set the other nations a great moral example, and seek to maintain peace in that way, while others believe that we should have some armed preparedness, but not much. The martialists also differ among themselves, from the extreme opinion that we should have only a little armed preparedness to the opinion that we should have such adequate armed protection as would insure the country against war. While the pacifists and the martialists differ widely from each other, and among one another, regarding the matter of armed preparedness, they are, however, all in perfect agreement that we want peace and that we should take such measures as shall best insure the country against war. Therefore, there is but one question at issue, and it is as to the best and most practical insurance that should be sought against war.

This country being a democracy, the destiny of the nation rests upon the opinions of the people. That thing and only that thing will be done, or can be done, which the majority of the people believe ought to be done. It is, therefore, the plain duty of the people - and happily they are seeing more and more that it is their duty - to give the necessary attention and study to this subject to inform themselves upon it, and shape their opinions according to the evidence. Consequently, the essentials of the reasons and arguments of both the pacifists and the martialists should be laid before the people for their examination and appraisement, and for their guidance according to the evidence as they may see and understand it. It is for this purpose that I am sending this booklet, together with my book, "Defenseless America," to a certain number of men and women among the leaders of American thought and shapers of public opinion. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.

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