In the United States in 1913 94 million dollars was spent on the army--ten times and more above what Switzerland spent--and all it paid for was a scant ninety thousand fighting men. An army less than one-fifth as large as Switzerland’s cost more than ten times as much.
As an economic proposition it would appear that compulsory service was a better bargain in defense than the American system as it exists today.
The strong point of the Swiss system is that it renders every man available for defense without imposing a burdensome tax on the country. The Swiss citizen becomes an actual, tangible part of his country. He takes pride in the citizen army, and in many cases the government fosters semi-official societies that aim to give additional training to those who care for it.
The beautiful thing about the Swiss plan is that it works. Surrounded by thundering cannon, Switzerland is at peace.
NOTE--_Following the lead given below was a verbatim report of the speech._
Strict neutrality, extreme caution in the publication of unconfirmed news, and “America first” were the keynotes of a speech by President Wilson that aroused great enthusiasm among newspaper editors and publishers from all parts of the country at the luncheon of The Associated Press at the Waldorf-Astoria yesterday.
Each telling point the President made in his speech, every word of which he seemed to weigh before uttering, was applauded by the audience of more than 300 at the tables and by a gallery of about 100 men and women.
The importance attached to his clear statement of the neutrality policy of his Administration was reflected in a request made by Melville E. Stone, Secretary and General Manager of The Associated Press, just before the Chief Magistrate was introduced, that all newspaper reports of the President’s speech be based on the verbatim copy to be taken by a stenographer and supplied to all of the newspapers and news-gathering associations represented.
Frank B. Noyes of The Washington Star, President of The Associated Press, praised President Wilson’s masterful maintaining of true neutrality, and said that the President had borne his great responsibility nobly. The applause that the laudatory remarks received would have done justice to a Democratic Nominating Convention. All arose and drank a toast to the President, and arose again when the orchestra struck up “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and again when the President stood up to speak.