The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-03-05

following speech IN the committee OF
the whole House on February 10 on
the fve-year enlistment clause Of the
army appropriation bill:
Mr. Hobson. Mr.. Chairman, / am
opposed to this section. / am very
strongly opposed to it on its merits.
1t tends to incapaciate our little army
for the only purpose for which 1t
exists-to promote the national de-
Tense when war comes The effect
would be to produce professional
soldiers and make it impossible for
the regular army to merge readily
into the great body of our citizen
soldiery upon which the national de.
Tense depends. The day Of the pro.
fessional soldier has passed Every
nation in the world has abandoned
the long-term service for the short
term to keep the army close to the
people. If this holds abroad, how
much more does it no d in our coun-
try? 10 make the term of enlistment
long is to go back a generation But
it is not to the merits of this section
that I wish to address myself in the
short time at my disposal.
Even If the proposition were meri-
torious | maintain that its merits can
not be determined here and we should
| should not take the position of dis
posing Of fundamental questions of
national defense as incidental matters
upon appropriation bills. The Navy
and the Army in their efficiency are
fundamental matters of national de-
| tense. The deepest instinct Of this
| Nation, whether politicians recognize
1t or not, is the instinct of self-preser-
walton. II we deliberately and In
proper course come to the conclusion
that certain terms of enlistment are
advisable, then l believe the people
will accept our JUDGMENT; but the PEG.
pie do not propose to have broad
questions of national defense trifled
with. Such disruptive legislative pro-
positions should not be placed upon
an appropriation bill in the interests
of questionable economy. AS a mat
ter of fact, the effect of this section
would entail an ultimate increase of
expense
Inefficiency in the Army and Navy is
the most extravagant thing in the
world. To place such far-reaching,
disruptive legislation upon an appro-
priation bill is unprecedented. l do
not believe there is a parallel in the
history of this Government
But even if our course had the pro
per deliberation, this whole question
IS it is now before us comes down
laden with irreSu 'arities. If we were
mere under conditions permitting time
for deliberation, l would charge con
spiracy. l charge that many recon-
mendations and documents and much
of the information that has been sup
piled to the Committee on Military AT
fairs have been misleading and that
they emanated from The Adiu;ant
! General OF the Army, who expected in
return for his services to be made a
lieutenant general.
If l should define the conspiracy, 1t
would be conspiracy on the part of
The Adjutant General to become a
lieutenant general by the use of IT.
regular means and of the chairman of
the committee to make economics and
accomplish things by the cooperation
of The Adjutant General, though not
with any agreement of reward,
do not question the chairman of
this committee. l want to say here
that I believe he is as honest as the
day is long. [Applfuse.l want to
pay a tribute to his earnestness of
purpose and his desire to economic
and to do real things while he is In
charge Of that committee
But / claim that these very noble
impulses on the part of the chairman
have been taken advantage of by an
ambitious officer sitting at a desk who
has remained at n desk continually
for twenty-six years in Washington,
and has risen from a captain in the
Surgeon Generals office in charge of
pension records to the position of
| Adjutant General with rank of major
general. He has risen one step after
another by ingratiatlng himself in the
confidence of members of Congress
and utilizing riders upon other meas
ures, In one measur" by a rider he
abolished the Office OF Adiutant Gene,
/ raj. In another, when h was ready,
he had the same oiIice restored, He
now utilizes the same method with the
|purpoIe of becoming a lieutenant gen
/ eIal.
charge that the substance Of the
recommendation embraced in the leg
sla,ive features proposed in this bill
comes from the Adiutant General, and
] fhat ha ia.. 49,. -..---- - ~ --.---.---