Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-08
SENATOR HALE's WARNING.

Washington, April IA warning
against increasing expenditures fol-
military establishments of the United
States was sounded in the Senate by
Senator Hale, chairman of the commit
tee OH naval affairs, and his alarm
was taken up and repeated by other
senators.
The discussion was based on a signed
article printed in the Washington Post
today, saying in effect, that Sec. Taft
favored a reorganization and an en-
largement OF the army that would
bring it up to 125.O0O men. The immedi-
ate occasion for Hale's speech was the
passage yesterday of the army apprO-
priation bill. carrying nearly 100000. 600
and he used it as showing the tenden-
cy of the times.
Moving to reconsider the vote by
which the army bill was passed, Hale
said senators did not realize that 20
per cent. of the revenues Of the gov
eminent were today expended for what
has been termed the need of present,
and past and future wars.
"What is going on" continued Hale,
"Without senators or the country be-
ing aware of it, are the enormous in
creases of the military establishments
to the prejudice Of all other appropri-
atoms and claims. We cannot get con-
sideration of other bills because as
everybody knows, the revenues are
waning and we are likely to be con-
fronted with deficit and in not many
months ahead we shall be found
spending more money than comes into
IL r;,.t,
binary sources. We cannot pass the
omnibus appropriation bill which has
thousands of items that ought to be
paid as much as q note at hand; we
are to have no rivers and harbors bill
because it is a peace bill; we can have
no public building bill because the
military expenses are mounting so
rapidly that we cannot afford these
items that are for peace"
Hale recapitulated the appropriation
for military purposes and said every
item represented great appropriations
for the future. There had, he said, been
an increase of $2OO0,O00 in the appropri-
alton for the army and about the same
increase for the navy. This, he said,
did not represent the enormous in
crease" for the navy as only two in
stead Of four battleships are provided
for
"When you build up navy" he de-
clared, "you only begin to spend mon
ey. You commit the country to re-
pairs and maintenance making neces-
sary An increasing appropriation, and
il YOU go en- we are going to have
naval appropriation in three or four
years that will amount to $150000, 900
annually"
Gallinger called attention to an ar
ticle published in a Washington pa
per, relative to an ambitious program
for an enlargement Of the army, and
said the article seemed to be inspired
Warren, chairman of the committee
or military affairs, interrupted Gal
linger, saying he did not believe the
published plan was inspired, and so
far as lie was concerned he would be
very Slow to commit himself.
"I Lope," said Hale, resumng, "that
this enormous, unreasonable and wick
ed program is not the Judgment of the
secretary of war"
Hale declared that the general staff
of the army say the army must be
doubled.
'"That," he said, "is the opinion Of
the chief of the general staff, who is
the head Of the operating part of the
army with authority during the pro-
longed, frequent and necessary alb
sences of the secretary Of war" A sal
1y which occasioned a smile through
ont the Senate chamber.
eff this program is carried out" con-
tinucd Hale, 1--WE will have an army
costing $500. 100000 and nothing short of
that will satisfy the army. I hope.
moreover, the secretary of war shall
not he called upon to make this enor-
mind a residium Of hope that that al
legged program for army enlargement
is not to be carried out and that the
secretary of war has not a program
for sucn expenditures of funds drawn
from all the people. 7 wish to call at
tentioii to this distinctive failure of
the enormous increase for the military
establishment of the government to
the prejudice and hurt of appropria-
tons that are peaceful"
Hale spoke of the Philippines as 2
"pestilence' which had contributed to
the policy Of military expansion. He
said the general staff would not now
abandon any "rickety post" because of
this proposed military expansion. The
army looked upon the governments
revenues as a great reservoir for APP
preparations and the naval officers with
a. few exceptions had the same idea.
The navy today, he said, was the sec
IF h. xyat
men wanted it doubled.
The navy was now and would con-
tinue to be useless. Aldrich hoped that
the ltterances of Hale would have the
careful attention of members of the
majority.
1--WE have" said he. expenditures