Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-12-15
FROM WASHINGTON

partment and the House of Representa-
lives were centers of three-cornered
dispute over the publication Of the
facts regarding the country's lack OF
national defense, Senator Root and DR..
James Brown Scott took up the task OF
applying the new ten million dollar
Carnegie fund for international peace.
Mr.. Root as president. and AR. Scott rs
secretary, are the two administrative
officers OF the new foundation and it
lies with them to make plans for the
expenditure OF the $4,000 annual in
come for the endowment. 1t was said
today that DIR. Scott probably would re-
sign his position as solicitor for the
judicial settlement Of international dis
putcs and give his whole time to the
Carnegie foundation.
Fear on the part of Representative
Tawncy, chairman OF the approprla-
ton committee, that the publication Of
the McLachlan report would resultin
a general demand for enormous appro-
priations for the army, is said today to
be the real cause OF the attempt to sup
press the report. Mr.. Hobson, in tel
ling him OF his bill for national de-
Tense board, mentioned the McLachlan
report and gave Mr.. Tawney an ad-
vance copy OF it. Mr.. Tawney at once
made a ilving auto trip to the White
House and is said TO have told Presi-
dent Taft that the publication OF the re-
port would wreck all the econ
omy plans Of the administration.
A conference was called and as re-
suit the War Department was ordered
by the president to hold the report in
confidence and not to withdraw 1t from
publication. This reversed the policy
of the Department, Secretary Dickin-
son and General Wood had believed
that full publication of the facts was
to be desired. When the House re-
fused to receive confidential docu-
ment." Dickinson and Wood were in a
quandary. They held a long confer
ence today and it was announced that
the report substantially modified"
would be sent again to the House,
with the word confidential removed.
President Taft has found himself con-
rronted by a great conflict OF opinions.
The conservatives among his advisors
urge him to use all his power to pre-.
vent further announcements, both on
the argument advanced by Tawney and
upon the contention that it is unwlse to
publish to the world any weakness in
the natonal defense. On the other
hand many OF his advisors urge that q
full publication is 10 be desired and
that suppression now might be re-
called with sorrow in the future if ad-
verse circumstances developed.
1t became known here today that
the War Department in answer to the
resolution 10y Representative Mcl.ach-
Ian, OF California, reported to the
House that the United States IS wholly
unprepared for war; the United States
lacks the right kind of men in its army;
that it needs guns, ammunition; abso-
lutaIy requires vast increase in the
number of mobile troops and thereafter
requires increased Notifications. This
is the official answer of the War De-
partment, prepared by Gen, Wood.
Chief Of Staff, and passed upon
by Secretary of War Dickinson.
In reply to McLachlan's question
whether the United States could with
stand invasion of the Pacific coast by an
Asiatic power, the answer amounts IN
substance to the negative No. Many
representatives have read the report
and are displeased az the attitude OF the
War Department in trying to hold it in
confidence" by sending it to the
House under such restrictions. 1t is
expected today that Secretary Dickin-
ssh, in answer to Speaker Cannon's
letter declining to receive the report,
will send it back to the House with the
word confidential" removed.
A conference at the White House
today between the president, Secretary
Of War Dickinson, Mr.. Hull, chairman
OF the House committee on military
affairs, and Senator Root head OF the
new Carnegie peace commission, re-
suited in the decision on the part of the
president not to furnish the House with
the information requested by the Nc
Lachlan resolution, The president
takes the position that the statements
in the confidential reply made by
Dickinson TO McLachlan's resolution
constitute merely an opinion based on
facts which are of record in the annual
reports Of the secretary of war and the
chie!-of-Staff OF the army, and that,
as an opinion, it is not a proper docu-
ment for submission to Congress. This
decision places the executive and the
secretary of war in the attitude OF re-
fusing information to the House.
A favorable report for the nomina-
tons OF the United States Circuit Judge
Willis Van Devanter OF Wyoming and
Joseph Il. Lamar, Of Georgia, TO be
associate justices Of the Supreme Court
Of the United States was adopted by the
Senate committee on judiciary today.
1t is probable that the rules will be
suspended at an executive session OF
the Senate today and the two nomlna-
tons confirmed. The nominations for
Judges Of the Commerce Court were re-
ferrcd to subcommittee.
A report on the investigation OF
the election OF William Lorimer,
OF Illinois to the Senate by q sub
committee OF the Senate committee
on privileges aud elections will be sub
mitred to the full committee on Satur-
day. A meeting of the subcommittee