THREAT OF WAR AN EVER PRESENT CONSIDERATION

War is an ever-threatening contingency which has constantly to be dealt with, all the pacifists to the contrary notwithstanding, asserted the Hon. Charles J. Bonaparte '71, in an address before the Speakers' Club last night. In confirmation of this he called attention to the fact that in spite of the popular conception of the high civilization of the twentieth century there have been since 1900 no less than six wars that involved European nations on a large scale: The Boer War; the Russo-Japanese; the Italian-Turkish; the two struggles in the Balkans; and the present conflict.

The case of Belgium was cited as an instance of the disastrous results of insufficient military protection. The year before the war broke out Belgium instituted compulsory military service. If she had done this five years before and so been able to show a defensive strength of perhaps 500,000 men, as against the 100,000 she did have immediately avail- able, Germany would have thought twice before invading Belgian territory.

"Nor is the case of Belgium so different from our own," Mr. Bonaparte continued. "True, two oceans separate us from the rest of the great world powers, but the oceans are no longer bulwarks of defense, protecting the countries they separate. On the contrary, they have now become avenues of aggression--a railroad with infinite tracks and numberless terminals."

In discussing the necessary means to be pursued to provide an adequate defense, Mr. Bonaparte said that a defensive army to be of real value must be large enough to crush the first force that could be sent against us, before the next division could reach our shores. This, he estimated, would take at least 30 days. Supposing that about 150,000 men could be brought over at one time we should need an army of at least 250,000 to dispose of the invading force. The function of our navy should be not to overwhelm any opposing force but merely to be able to keep an attacking squadron back and so delay the landing of troops until our army should have time to assemble.

"It is most important to try to impress upon Congress the immediate need of providing for our defense. But falling at that any sort of military preparation is a step in the right direction and it is incumbant upon college and school trained men to lead the way.