The Washington herald., 1908-04-08
HALE ATTACKS ARMY
Ought to Be Smaller, Not
Larger, He Declares.
GOES AFTER SECRETARY TAFT
Without Naming Presidential Candi-
date, Maine Senator Uses Strong
Language Against Him and Draws
RebuISe from Senator Burkett.
Warren Says Army Is Too Small.

The Senate proceedings were enivened
yesterday by debate lasting more than
two hours. in which Secretary Of WaI
Taft was severely criticised fer his
declaration in favor Of an increase in the
army.
Senator Hale. of Maine, started the de-
bate shortly after the Senate met, and
for more than two hours it ragged, shut
ting out the usual morning routine II
the course of the debate velled allusions
were made by Mr. Hale to the frequent
absences Of the Secretary OF War from
the department, and he intimated thai
the chief Of the general staff was really
the head of the War Department.
The Secretary was defended by Senator
Warren. of Wyoming. and Senator
Burkett, of Nebraska. The latter charged
that MIR. Hale had gone out of his way
to attack the Secretary OF War, "one OF
the leading candidates for the Republi-
can nomination for President" and
characterized Mr.. Hale's speech as a
'rag-ehewIng exhibition"
Hale Moves decentralization.
In the course Of the debate Senator
Ciapp, OF Minnesota, voiced his alarm at
the rapid growth of appropriations for
the military establishments, and sug-
gested that the vote by which the army
appropriation bill, carrying SOS, 0OO, 900. was
passed on Monday ought to be recon
sidered. Mr.. Hale thereupon made the
motion to reconsider the vote, but later
withdrew IT,
Mr. BuTkett resented Mr.. HaIe's action
in Withdrawing the motion to reconsider
He declared that the Secretary of War
was not responsible for the heavy ap-
propriations. The Senator from Maine
is more responsible for them than the
Secretary OF War" said Mr. Burkett
The Senator from Nebraska charged that
Mr.. Hale. who had then left the cham
ber had offered the motion. not in good
faith, but simply to afford him an oppor-
tunity for '1ambasting and Iampoonins
the Secretary Of War"
All Money for MiIItarism.
The debate was opened by Mr. Hale.
who expressed his regret that he had
not been in the Senate Monday when the
army Appropriation bin was passed.
1T is what is going. on constantly.
without all Senators or the country be-
ing aware Of the enormous increase OF
the military establishment, TO the preju-
dice Of all other appropriation claims. '
said the zenator from Maine I'VE can
not get consideration Of other bills be-
cause, as everybody knows, the revenues
are likely TO wane. and are now waning
and We are likely TO be confronted with
a deficit, and not many months ahead
shall be found spending more money than
comes into the Treasury.
Real Needs Are Delayed.
We cannot get the omnibus-elaims bill
passed, which has thousands of items
which should be paid as much as a note
Of hand should be paid We are to have
no river and harbor bill, with all the ben
efts of such a bill TO the business Of the
because Il IS d peace measure
We must have no public-building bill
which is OF actual and real benefit to the
OF the country in the trans
action Of the public business. because the
military expenses are mounting so ran
idly that we cannot afford these items
that are for peace"
The Senator then referred to an article
in morning newspaper in which the
writer represented the Secretary Of War
as being in favor of an increase Of the
regular army from 5000 70 125O00 men.
That article was principally responsible
for bringing me to my feet" said Mr..
Hale, whose attention had been directed
to IL in the course OF his speech by sena-
tor Gallinger, Of New Hampshire. who
suggested that the publication bore "evI-
lences on It's face Of being inspired"
BiameS War Department Heads.
Continuing, Mr. Hale said: Nobody IS
crying except the War Department and
the General STAFF and the officials of thar
department. for an Increase. II you should
81 to the General Stan you would be told
that the army must be doubled. That is
hot the newspaper writer. but ii is the
head Of the operating department OF the
army. who is practically the authority IN
the department, because of the prolonged
and frequent absences Of the Secretary
Of War
If this programme Is to be carried out,
and is to be urged upon Congress, and We
are to pass it in accordance with the
we viii have an army cost
ing S2o0,000000 a year Nothing short of
this will satisfy the army It is enor-
nous and unreasonable. and, repeat, a
wicked programme. I still have a re-.
siduum Of hope that the Secretary of
War has not committed himself TO the
enormous and wasteful expenditures of
the resources Of the government"
Thinks Army Too Large.
Asked by Mr. Mooney. Of Mississippi.
Il he thought the present size OF the
army sufficient, Mr.. Hale replied:
4 think the present army is not only
arge enough. but is larger than is need
I'd, even while We are burdened with this
pestilential curse which is on our shoul-
Philippines. Nobody can tell me
n detail where all the rest of the army is
ioing any useful service-outside the
Philippines and in Cuba"
Asked by Mr.. Beveridge OF Indiana.
f he thought there was any danger of
another war. Mr.. Hale said the fear of
another war between the United States
and a foreign power was ''the sheerest
lonsense."
Senator Beveridge drew from Senator
Warren the statement that the army now
s not large enough, even including the
organized state militia, TO successfully