The Washington herald., 1908-04-09
Exposing a Military Bugaboo

Whatever HIS motive. Senator Hale has
said, with respect to the increase in naval
and military expenditures, what ought TO
have been said. and with emphasis. by
some one OF the minority Senators. Yet
we scan the debate IN vain for a single
word from any Democratic Senator in
support Of economy In military expendi-
ture. The army appropriation bill. carry
ing an increase Of 10000, 600, passed the
Senate on Monday without a dissenting
vote. Il remained for an antI-adminis-
tration Senator on the Republican side 10
utter an impressive warning against the
mooted policy Of enlarging the military
and naval forces out Of all proportion to
our actual needs and without regard 10
the present condition and future pros
poets Of the Treasury. No better oppor-
tunity for an enlightened and alert op-
position to make strong impression on
public opinion could be found than is
presented by the issue involved in the big
army and big navy programme that is
favored by the administration, and that
is being preached up and down the coun-
try by Secretary Taft. who has been Sc
leeted by the President as his successor.
The issue IS not solely a financial one.
though that phase is sufficiently impor-
tant including as II does the question
of levying additional taxation for the
maintenance Of a military burden that
already absorbs nearly 10 per cent of our
revenues; It is also one of military policy
Few persons have any conception OF what
is meant by that preparedness for war"
which is the goal Of the military party
in this country. We doubt II the General
STAFF of the army or the General Board
of the navy would dare to state openly
what they considered requisite in the wav
Of personnel and material in order To nut
this country in a perfect state of prepared
ness for war. for the expenditure neces-
sary TO establish this ideal condition and
TO maintain It would be so appalling that
no Congress could be got 10 authorize It
save in the imminence Of war. We get
occasional glimpses Of the aim of our
militarists in the belief Of certain naval
authorities that our feet should be twice
as large as it is, and in Mr.. Tafts ey
pressed conviction that the army should
be enlarged 20 125.090 men. But the cost
OF the mere enlargement OF the army or
navy Is only part of the total expense
OF armament. AS Mr.. Hale said of the
navy, when you have provided for
Sl0.00O000 battle ship you have only begun
TO spend money: and so with every addl-
tion to the army. The mechanism of
warfare nowadays is delicate and costly |
It rapidly deteriorates. and quickly gets
out Of date. Save for its employment Of
labor and capital, most of the money ex-
pended for armament might as well be |
thrown into the sea.
And all this tremendous naval and |
military preparation, burdening present 1
and future generations-what IS il for? 1
Why. for war that, in all human prob /
ability, viii never come Senator Hale |
had the rare courage to say. amid all |
The martial rumors that circulate in whis- /
pers among the initiated, that a future I
conflict of this country with anv first /
class power is practically impossible. /
Nearly a century of our existence has
passed without any such conflict. During
the greater part of that period we had a
neager army and a small navy-lived. in
fact in an astounding state OF unpre-
we engaged in no war that
was not Of our own making. We suffered /
from none Of that aggression Of the
strong upon the weak which Mr.. Roose-
Velt so much fears may be our portion
unless we enlarge the navy. What reason
S there 10 suppose the aggression is 60
ng to begin now? What is there absurd
about the idea that an attack upon us by
any oversee nation is practically i'm
possible? Yet our military policy is be-
ng developed on the theory that such an
attack is not only possible. but probable.
That is the great bugaboo that frightens
congress and the country into subservi-
snce to the military party Unfortu-
lately, there are few Hales with sufficient
moral bravery to expose it to merited
'ldicule.
tfFr