That is all perfectly sound, and no Englishman whose opinion
is worth anything expects responsible American statesmen to lean in the very least degree towards special friendliness to us. We have, indeed, only one criticism to make on the Senator's statement. He does not, in our opinion, dwell sufficiently upon America's need to prepare herself for all eventualities. With the world as at present constituted it is not safe to go about unarmed. But that, in truth, is what the American people are doing just now. We do not of course, suggest their imitating the German military system—there is no need for that—but they ought to keep large stores of the munitions of war at hand in case there should be a sudden call to arms. We are quite willing to admit that they could improvise men, but what they could not improvise are rifles, guns, harness, and all the other equipment of war. But without rifles and ammunition and equipment the best men in the world are perfectly worthless. As one of their own humorists, Artemns Ward, said, " the pen may be mightier than the sword, but it stands a very slim chance against the needle-gun."
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