IsupposetheUnitedStateswillalwaysbeunreadyforwar，andinconsequencewillalwaysbeexposedtogreatexpense，andtothepossibilityofthegravestcalamity，whentheNationgoestowar。Thisisnonewthing。Americanslearnonlyfromcatastrophesandnotfromexperience。
Therewouldhavebeennowarin1812if，inthepreviousdecade，America，insteadofannouncingthat“peacewasherpassion。”insteadofactingonthetheorythatunpreparednessavertswar，hadbeenwillingtogototheexpenseofprovidingafleetofascoreofshipsoftheline。However，inthatcase，doubtlesstheverymenwhointheactualeventdeploredthelossoflifeandwasteofcapitalwhichtheirownsupinenesshadbroughtaboutwouldhaveloudlyinveighedagainstthe“excessiveandimpropercostofarmaments“；soitallcametoaboutthesamethingintheend。
ThereisnomorethoroughgoinginternationalMrs。Gummidge，andnomoreutterlyuselessandoftenutterlymischievouscitizen，thanthepeace-at-any-price，universal-arbitrationtypeofbeing，whoisalwayscomplainingeitheraboutwarorelseaboutthecostofthearmamentswhichactastheinsuranceagainstwar。Thereiseveryreasonwhyweshouldtrytolimitthecostofarmaments，asthesetendtogrowexcessive，butthereisalsoeveryreasontorememberthatinthepresentstageofcivilizationaproperarmamentisthesurestguaranteeofpeace——andistheonlyguaranteethatwar，ifitdoescome，willnotmeanirreparableandoverwhelmingdisaster。
Inthespringof1897PresidentMcKinleyappointedmeAssistantSecretaryoftheNavy。IowedtheappointmentchieflytotheeffortsofSenatorH。C。LodgeofMassachusetts，whodoubtlesswasactuatedmainlybyhislongandclosefriendshipforme，butalso——Iliketobelieve——byhiskeeninterestinthenavy。ThefirstbookIhadeverpublished，fifteenyearspreviously，was“TheHistoryoftheNavalWarof1812“；andIhavealwaystakentheinterestinthenavywhicheverygoodAmericanoughttotake。AtthetimeIwrotethebook，intheearlyeighties，thenavyhadreacheditsnadir，andwewerethenutterlyincompetenttofightSpainoranyotherpowerthathadanavyatall。Shortlyafterwardswebegantimidlyandhesitatinglytobuildupafleet。Itisamusingtorecalltheroundaboutstepswetooktoaccomplishourpurpose。InthereactionafterthecolossalstruggleoftheCivilWarourstrongestandmostcapablemenhadthrowntheirwholeenergyintobusiness，intomoney-making，intothedevelopment，andabovealltheexploitationandexhaustionatthemostrapidratepossible，ofournaturalresources——mines，forests，soil，andrivers。
Thesemenwerenotweakmen，buttheypermittedthemselvestogrowshortsightedandselfish；andwhilemanyofthemdownatthebottompossessedthefundamentalvirtues，includingthefightingvirtues，otherswerepurelyoftheglorifiedhucksterorglorifiedpawnbrokertype——whichwhendevelopedtotheexclusionofeverythingelsemakesaboutaspooranationaltypeastheworldhasseen。Thisunadulteratedhucksterorpawnbrokertypeisrarelykeenlysympatheticinmattersofsocialandindustrialjustice，andisusuallyphysicallytimidandlikestocoveranunworthyfearofthemostjustwarunderhigh-soundingnames。
Itwasreinforcedbythelargemollycoddlevote——thepeoplewhoaresoftphysicallyandmorally，orwhohaveatwistinthemwhichmakesthemacidlycantankerousandunpleasantaslongastheycanbesowithsafetytotheirbodies。Inadditiontherearethegoodpeoplewithnoimaginationandnoforesight，whothinkwarwillnotcome，butthatifitdoescomearmiesandnaviescanbeimprovised——averylargeelement，typifiedbyaSenatorIknewpersonallywho，inapublicspeech，inanswertoaquestionastowhatwewoulddoifAmericaweresuddenlyassailedbyafirst-classmilitarypower，answeredthat“wewouldbuildabattle-shipineverycreek。”Then，amongthewiseandhigh-mindedpeoplewhoinself-respectingandgenuinefashionstriveearnestlyforpeace，therearethefoolishfanaticsalwaystobefoundinsuchamovementandalwaysdiscreditingit——themenwhoformthelunaticfringeinallreformmovements。
AlltheseelementstakentogethermadeabodyofpublicopinionsoimportantduringthedecadesimmediatelysucceedingtheCivilWarastoputastoptoanyseriousefforttokeeptheNationinaconditionofreasonablemilitarypreparedness。Therepresentativesofthisopinionthenvotedjustastheynowdowhentheyvoteagainstbattle-
shipsoragainstfortifyingthePanamaCanal。Itwouldhavebeenbadenoughifwehadbeencontenttobeweak，and，inviewofourweakness，nottobluster。Butwewerenotcontentwithsuchapolicy。
Wewishedtoenjoytheincompatibleluxuriesofanunbridledtongueandanunreadyhand。Therewasaverylargeelementwhichwasignorantofourmilitaryweakness，or，naturallyenough，unabletounderstandit；andanotherlargeelementwhichlikedtopleaseitsownvanitybylisteningtooffensivetalkaboutforeignnations。Accordingly，toomanyofourpoliticians，especiallyinCongress，foundthatthecheapandeasythingtodowastopleasethefoolishpeacepeoplebykeepingusweak，andtopleasethefoolishviolentpeoplebypassingdenunciatoryresolutionsaboutinternationalmatters——resolutionswhichwouldhavebeenimproperevenifwehadbeenstrong。Theirideawastopleaseboththemollycoddlevoteandthevoteoftheinternationaltail-twistersbyupholding，withpretendedardorandmeanintelligence，aNationalpolicyofpeacewithinsult。
Iabhorunjustwar。Iabhorinjusticeandbullyingbythestrongattheexpenseoftheweak，whetheramongnationsorindividuals。Iabhorviolenceandbloodshed。Ibelievethatwarshouldneverberesortedtowhen，orsolongas，itishonorablypossibletoavoidit。Irespectallmenandwomenwhofromhighmotivesandwithsanityandself-
respectdoalltheycantoavertwar。Iadvocatepreparationforwarinordertoavertwar；andIshouldneveradvocatewarunlessitweretheonlyalternativetodishonor。Idescribethefollyofwhichsomanyofourpeoplewereformerlyguilty，inorderthatwemayinourowndaybeonourguardagainstsimilarfolly。
WedidnotatthetimeofwhichIwritetakeourforeigndutiesseriously，andaswecombinedblusterinspeechwithrefusaltomakeanypreparationwhatsoeverforaction，wewerenottakenseriouslyinreturn。Graduallyaslightchangeforthebetteroccurred，thewritingsofCaptainMahanplayingnosmallparttherein。Webuiltsomemoderncruiserstostartwith；thepeoplewhofeltthatbattle-shipswerewickedcompromisingwiththeirmisguidedconsciencesbysayingthatthecruiserscouldbeused“toprotectourcommerce“——whichtheycouldnotbe，unlesstheyhadbattle-shipstobackthem。Thenweattemptedtobuildmorepowerfulfightingvessels，andastherewasasectionofthepublicwhichregardedbattle-shipsaspossessinganameimmorallysuggestiveofviolence，wecompromisedbycallingthenewshipsarmoredcruisers，andmakingthemcombinewithexquisitenicetyallthedefectsandnoneofthevirtuesofbothtypes。Thenwegottothepointofbuildingbattle-ships。Buttherestillremainedapublicopinion，asoldasthetimeofJefferson，whichthoughtthatintheeventofwarallourproblemoughttobeoneofcoastdefense，thatweshoulddonothingexceptrepelattack；anattitudeaboutassensibleasthatofaprize-fighterwhoexpectedtowinbymerelyparryinginsteadofhitting。Tomeetthesusceptibilitiesofthislargeclassofwell-meaningpeople，weprovidedforthebattle-shipsunderthenameof“coastdefensebattle-ships“；meaningtherebythatwedidnotmakethemquiteasseaworthyastheyoughttohavebeen，orwithquiteasmuchcoalcapacityastheyoughttohavehad。Thenwedecidedtobuildrealbattle-ships。Buttherestillremainedalingeringremnantofpublicopinionthatclungtothecoastdefensetheory，andwemetthisinbeautifulfashionbyprovidingfor“sea-goingcoastdefensebattle-ships“——thefactthatthenamewasacontradictionintermsbeingofverysmallconsequencecomparedtothefactthatwedidtherebygetrealbattle-ships。
Ourmenhadtobetrainedtohandletheshipssinglyandinfleetformation，andtheyhadtobetrainedtousethenewweaponsofprecisionwithwhichtheshipswerearmed。Notafewoftheolderofficers，keptintheserviceunderourfoolishruleofpuresenioritypromotion，werenotcompetentforthetask；butaproportionoftheolderofficerswereexcellent，andthiswastrueofalmostalltheyoungerofficers。Theywerenaturallyfirst-classmen，trainedintheadmirablenavalschoolatAnnapolis。Theywereoverjoyedthatatlasttheyweregivenproperinstrumentstoworkwith，andtheyspeedilygrewtohandletheseshipsindividuallyinthebestfashion。Theywerefastlearningtohandletheminsquadronandfleetformation；butwhenthewarwithSpainbrokeout，theyhadasyethardlygraspedtheprinciplesofmodernscientificnavalgunnery。
SoonafterIbeganworkasAssistantSecretaryoftheNavyIbecameconvincedthatthewarwouldcome。TherevoltinCubahaddraggeditswearylengthuntilconditionsintheislandhadbecomesodreadfulastobeastandingdisgracetousforpermittingthemtoexist。ThereismuchthatIsincerelyadmireabouttheSpanishcharacter；andtherearefewmenforwhomIhavefeltgreaterrespectthanforcertaingentlemenofSpainwhomIhaveknown。ButSpainattemptedtogovernhercoloniesonarchaicprincipleswhichrenderedhercontrolofthemincompatiblewiththeadvanceofhumanityandintolerabletotheconscienceofmankind。In1898theso-calledwarinCubahaddraggedalongforyearswithunspeakablehorror，degradation，andmisery。Itwasnot“war“atall，butmurderousoppression。Cubawasdevastated。
Duringthoseyears，whilewecontinuedat“peace。”severalhundredtimesasmanyliveswerelost，livesofmen，women，andchildren，aswerelostduringthethreemonths’“war“whichputanendtothisslaughterandopenedacareerofpeacefulprogresstotheCubans。Yetthereweremisguidedprofessionalphilanthropistswhocaredsomuchmorefornamesthanforfactsthattheypreferreda“peace“ofcontinuousmurdertoa“war“whichstoppedthemurderandbroughtrealpeace。Spain’shumiliationwascertain，anyhow；indeed，itwasmorecertainwithoutwarthanwithit，forshecouldnotpermanentlykeeptheisland，andshemindedyieldingtotheCubansmorethanyieldingtous。Ourowndirectinterestsweregreat，becauseoftheCubantobaccoandsugar，andespeciallybecauseofCuba’srelationtotheprojectedIsthmianCanal。Butevengreaterwereourinterestsfromthestandpointofhumanity。Cubawasatourverydoors。Itwasadreadfulthingforustositsupinelyandwatchherdeathagony。Itwasourduty，evenmorefromthestandpointofNationalhonorthanfromthestandpointofNationalinterest，tostopthedevastationanddestruction。BecauseoftheseconsiderationsIfavoredwar；andto-day，wheninretrospectitiseasiertoseethingsclearly，therearefewhumaneandhonorablemenwhodonotbelievethatthewarwasbothjustandnecessary。
Thebigfinanciersandthemengenerallywhoweresusceptibletotouchonthemoneynerve，andwhocarednothingforNationalhonorifitconflictedeventemporarilywithbusinessprosperity，wereagainstthewar。Themorefatuoustypeofphilanthropistagreedwiththem。Thenewspaperscontrolledby，orrunintheinterestsof，thesetwoclassesdeprecatedwar，anddideverythingintheirpowertopreventanypreparationforwar。AsawholethepeopleinCongresswereatthattimeandarenowashortsightedsetasregardsinternationalmatters。Therewereafewmen，SenatorsCushmanK。Davis，[*]forinstance，andJohnMorgan，whodidlookahead；andSenatorH。C。
Lodge，whothroughouthisquarterofacenturyofserviceintheSenateandHousehaseverstoodforemostamongthosewhoupholdwithfarsightedfearlessnessandstrictjusticetoothersournationalhonorandinterest；butmostoftheCongressmenwerecontenttofollowtheworstofallpossiblecourses，thatis，topassresolutionswhichmadewarmorelikely，andyettodeclinetotakemeasureswhichwouldenableustomeetthewarifitdidcome。
[*]InaletterwrittenmejustbeforeIbecameAssistantSecretary，SenatorDavisunburdenedhismindaboutoneofthefoolish“peace“
proposalsofthatperiod；hisletterrunninginpart：“IlefttheSenateChamberaboutthreeo’clockthisafternoonwhentherewasgoingonadealofmowingandchatteringoverthetreatybywhichtheUnitedStatesistobeboundtoarbitrateitssovereignfunctions——forpoliciesaremattersofsovereignty……Theaberrationsofthesocialmovementareneitherprogressnorretrogression。Theyrepresentmerelyalocalandtemporarysaggingofthelineofthegreatorbit。Tennysonknewthiswhenhewrotethatfineandnoble’Maud。’Ioftenreadit，fortodosodoesmegood。”AfterquotingoneofPoe’sstoriesthelettercontinues：
“Theworldwillcomeoutallright。Lethimwhobelievesinthedeclineofthemilitaryspiritobservetheboysofacommonschoolduringtherecessorthenoonhour。OfcoursewhenAmericanpatriotismspeaksoutfromitsrankandfileanddemandsactionorexpression，andwhen，thereupon，the’businessman，’socalled，placeshishandonhisstackofredsasifhefearedapolicemanwereabouttodisturbthegame，andprotestsuntilAmericanpatriotismceasestocontinuetospeakasithadstartedtodo——
why，youandIgetmad，andIswear。IhopeyouwillbewithushereafterMarch4。Wecanthenpassjudgmenttogetheronthethingswedon’tlike，andtogetherindulgeinhopesthatIbelieveareprophetic。”
However，intheNavyDepartmentwewereabletodoagooddeal，thankstotheenergyandabilityofsomeofthebureauchiefs，andtothegeneralgoodtoneoftheservice。IsoonfoundmynaturalfriendsandalliesinsuchmenasEvans，Taylor，Sampson，Wainwright，Brownson，Schroeder，Bradford，Cowles，Cameron，Winslow，O’Neil，andotherslikethem。Iusedallthepowertherewasinmyofficetoaidthesemeningettingthematerialready。Ialsotriedtogatherfromeverysourceinformationastowhothebestmenweretooccupythefightingpositions。