The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1917. AMERICA'S UNPREPAREDNESS.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 March 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 1917. AMERICA'S UNPREPAREDNESS.

The more the attitude of the United States in connection with the war generally, and with Germany's part therein in particular, is studied, the more difficult becomes the task of comprehending how a nation of sucli intense democratic proclivities, and possessing men of extraordinary intellectual and political activity, could have drifted into a position of inertia that is likely to be productive of very costly results. President Wilson has naturally to hear the brunt of this policy of waiting for something to turn up, but the people are really to blame, as they should have expressed their views in such a pronounced way that the President could not hesitate in acting on their lead. The inevitable lias happened. America has practically drifted into war with Germany, but only in a passive sense, merely because of unpreparedness. For that the Government must shoulder the blame. Ever siace the sinking of the Lusitania the question of open hostilities has been growing more momentous, and yet the United States Government has adopted the tactics of the ostrich and refused to see the dangers that were cvei approaching nearer and becoming more and more impressive. It will be seen by to-day's cable news that it is expected the President will give Congress a list of outrages in a review of Germany's actions, and ask Congress to declare that "a state of war exists." The meaning of this carefully selected phrase is that America is not prepared to make a declaration ot war, for she has not the necessary forces for war,, either on land or sea. It is oxpected Congress will authorise the use of armed forces, and those responsible will then enter upon a "iiid mobilisation, and it is ",o presume that steps will be I.'l'ot ;o evolve a means for coping w.tli submarines.

Meanwhile time presses and events of a startling nature may occur at any moment, so that America may wake up to find the war is over before she can take proper steps to defend her interests and the lives and property of her citizens. At the root of Hie whole sorry policy of drift will be found two cankers—greed for money and fear of war. And yet the Allies are fighting for the great principles which the American republic is supposed to embody—freedom and democratic government as opposed to tyranny and military despotism. Apparently the American Government has been content for the Entente Powers to do the fighting for themselves and for America, but Aat a humiliating position for the United States to occupy! The provocation that America has received would have long ago shamed any self-respect-ing nation into hostilities. Not so the United States; yet now that a state of war exists, America cannot act because she has no army, and the navy has no boats capable of dealing with submarines, so actual warfare must be put off till these requirements are met. While American vessels have been and are confined to harbors owing to their defencelessness, the Allies' ships have come and gone regularly with their valuable freights of exports and imports, and their still more valuable freight of human life, with only a small percentage of loss. Could anything be more galling or more indicative of want of pluck? The position at present appears to be that as guns for arming American merchantmen are not procurable, the vessels must, remain in port, and America must either provide convoys or rely on the Allies to do her transport work—merely because of her unpreparedness. Eight through the piece America has been playing into the hands of Germany. The New York World some- little time back accurately summed up the situation by stating that while the United States and Germany were 'technically not at war, Germany was actually deriving all the military advantage that could be gained from war with America without incurring any of the disabilities, Germany being quite content that American shipping should be held up iu ihome ports. The astonishing part of this invidious position is that the money-mak-ing Americans do not seem to realise what they are losing. Possibly the published statement of a decline in exports . since the submarine campaign, to the tune of fifty millions, may press home not only the lesson concerning the loss of profits, but the far more important matter of giving Germany the great satisfaction of attaining (at least, partially) one of the prime objects of her | submarine campaign—paralysing the traffic between America and Britain wtih

a view to stopping supplies of foodstuffs and munitions. Had the ocean transport service been in American hands the Allies would have been in sore straits; but the British mercantile fleet has disregarded all dangers and won through, and what few American ships have traversed the Atlantic have had the full benefit of the protection afforded by the British navy. If America is really bent on taking part in the war there must be a complete reversal of the taihoa methods of the past, and an exhibition of courage that has been woefully lacking. It is a great nation, and as such its actions should bo in due proportion. The war fever is running high, and time 13 precious. If £he Americans are going to strike they should do so promptly and courageously, and endeavor to wipe out the stigma that now rests on, the nation.