The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-12-16
Congress Not TO Get Story Of
UnpreparednesS
THE PRESIDENT ORDERS
That 1t Be Withdrawn--It Showed De-
fenseless State Of Countrywide
Army Would Be Unable
to Repel Invasion.

Washington, Dec. 49, Secretary OF
War Dickinson has been ordered by the
president to withhold from Congress en-
tirely his report on the national defense.
The House Wednesday declined to re-
ceiye the report, which came to It
marked confidential"
The president took the ground yester-
day that all the facts as to the army
and the Notifications along the coasts
of the United States upon which Con-
gress could base any proposed action,
were contained in the regular annual re-
ports Of the secretary Of war, the chief
Of staff and other subordinate officers
OF the war department. These reports
already are in the hands of Congress,
The president agrees with some Of the
Congress leaders that these conclusions
and opinions should be held in strict con-
fdence. As the House cannot receive
reports in confidence, the president de-
cided II was best to withhold the orig.
inal report in its entirety He directed
Secretary Dickinson to prepare letter
to the House giving the reasons for
Withholding the special report and in
viting attention to the regular annual
reports. which will be found to contain
all of the actual information that helped
to make up the reply to the McLaehlan
resolution.
BY reason Of what many deem an un-
wise attempt at secrecy, there has been
kicked up the biggest row over the al
legged defenseless state Of the country
that has been heard in the halls OF Con.
gress for years.
Everybody Is holding his breath and
wondering what the next development
will be. But it is expected that in some
way there will be an airing II the con-
fdential report which Dickinson sent TO
the House in response to resolution
Of Representative McLachlan of Cali
fornia, asking about the state of the
country's preparedness for war. Sec
rotary Dickinson got up q report that
did not mince words II told the truth
las army men see it-about the help
Iessness Of the United States if il were
attacked by powerful enemy, and
especially if it were attacked from the
Pacific coast side by Japan
Now the expectation is that some one
will arise in the House and demand TO
know the facts Representative Me-
Lachlan may do it himself
Representative Jim Tawney is the
man who kicked over the bucket. Taw-
ney Il chairman of the house committee
on appropriations He hates big army
expenditures. Some days ago he learned
the report was prepared and was about
to go to the House, lie knew that if
il became public il would cause stir
and a great demand for more military
expenditures.
So he scurried to the White House
and told the president and asked his
aid in preventing the report becoming
public The president acquieseed in
Tawney's view and the report went in
Wednesday marked confidential Speak
er Cannon held that the House would
violate the presidents Of hundred years
if it accepted confidential communica-
ton. and sent it back to Dickinson ex-
planning this fact.
The members Of the lower chamber
got wind of what was up. They found
out the gist Of the report and now they
are busy talking. The attempt at Sc
crecy failed The reports general ma
ture IS known to everybody at the cap
itol, and the damage has been done SO
far as exciting scare over the unarmed,
undefended state Of the Pacific coast and
the country generally is concerned.