The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-15
CONCEAlMENT IS
|NExCUsABlf'
McLachlan Says if Country Is
Unprepared for War It
Should Know 1t
"CONFIDENTlAL"
REPORT A OUT
President Decides. However.
Not to Furnish information
Asked For by Reso-
luton

WASHINGTON. d. c.. Dec. 1S.@H
War Department., In answer to IL
resolution by Representative NeIAches
ian. of California. reported 20 taO
House thai tho United states In wholly
u~nprepared for war; that tho United
States lacks the right kind OF mon
In Its army; that 1t needs guns, nesAnS
ammunition. absolutely requires =
vast increase In the number Of mes
bile troops and thereafter requires In
creased Qualifications MSs
This is the officials answer Of tn
War Department.. prepared by 0on&a
eral Leonard Wood. CHIEF OF 0tn
and passed upon by Secretary Q4sas
War Dickinson In reply to McIM11k4|
lan's question whether the uu1t1
States eould Withstand invaaon
the Pacific coast by an Asiatio pow
the answer, In rank terms. am0QN14a
In substance to the strong uogat1y~a
no"
Many representatives have reao H.
report n are displcaeed at the -
titade OF the War Department ~
trying TO hold In 'oonfdence" by seu6s
ing It to the House under such roS1
strictions. II II expected To-day th44
Secretary Dickinson. In anfwer w.
Speaker cannon's letter declining 1oE
receive the report. viii send II ba6ak
to the House with the word ''con1As
Dental" removed.
Why should this matter be he'll
In confidence ?" asked McLachlAn to&
day. Such action would defeat -
whole purpose of the resolution. WIN
We demand 10 that the people At g.
United States be taken into sh0 Co..
fdence OF the government. W3
arc unprepared for war. the ps111
have a right to know II.
Crime Against rcopaa
1T would be . crime against tlf6&Es
people Of the United States. and r.
betrayal OF posterity to deceive 49,
people az to the true situation.
IF we have no adequate army aMG|
no adequate national defensa. noNes
IS the time. when we are at peaQ1E
with the world, to make il kuONn1NS
Now IL the time to correct the elk0S1
alton before II Is too late. Tho po4N
pie have the right to know. a thu
must know. Will fight to O flntnI
TO force the full publication Of TIT
report" SS
Many other representatives, inciu1B
ing Richmond p. Hobson. who III pG&%g2]
tieularly Interested. agree with No.
lakeland. and believe that any f03eg
Their concealment OF the report wOuN
be ~inexcusable. @S&%a
Won't Give Information.
A conference at the White Houlf
to-day between the President. @1CeMx
tary OF War Dickinson, Rapreaenk2@a
tive Hull. chairman II the s1p0M&s
committee m military affairs. d
Senator Root. of New York. heed
the new Carnegie Peace CcmmieNio6 Y
Resulted in the decision on the pS&
OF the President not to furnish IT.
House with the information reqHemt1
BY the MeLachlan resolution. s&|
The President takes the pOattte
that the statements in the "confl0&
tfal reply" made by Dickinson 10 10fE
Lachlan's resolution constitute n3aE&
an opinion based OF facts which 0
OF record In the annual reo0rtas
the secretary OF war and the chipf
STAFF OF the rmy mi that. y
official report. II Ia not q proper de-
ment for discussion by Congress.
What President Taft would H.
Il done to place the nation'o
Tense on a higher plane OF up4f
ness Is the passage by CONGRESS 81
so-called volunteer act" This u
ure was originally drawn BY
when he was secretary Of 81
contemplated u scheme for thu
ganization OF ii reserve force
provisions making automatically ~
able at the outbreak Of the
army OF four hundred thousandI
The bill passed the House I
ago. but died in the Senate $500
or opposition by SemH
Bacon. OF Georgia
In his annual message the H
dent recommended the enactmSGS&
this bill together with legisIntto&N
secure more army officers.
measures. he believes. viii give
quate protection.