Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1914-12-08
Determined TO PROBE
WAR Preparedness
SEVERAL "PR0BE" BILLS
AND RESOLUTIONS ARE
INTRODUCED.
Wilson Told Gardner He Is OPP
posed to His
Plan.

WAsHINGToN, Dec. T. - Pre-
w paredness of the United States
for war seems destined for inVestiga-
tion in congress.
Several bills and resolutions bearing
on the subject were introduced today
for an inquiry by congressional COM
mittees is regarded at the capital as
certain, although President Wilson
told Representative Gardner during
the day that he opposed the latter's
plan for an Investigation by a national
safety commission Tic president ex-
pressed the opinion that this would
be an unwise way of handling "a
question which might create very un-
favorable International impressions.
Senator Lodge introduced in the
senate a resolution similar TO the
Gardner measure pending in the
house and asked that 1t lie on the
table until tomorrow. 1t would pro-
vide for a national security COM
mission. to be composed of three
members of the senate, three men,
bers of the house and three citizens
to be appointed by the president.
President Wilson let 1t be known
after his conference with Representa-
tive Gardner that he was entirely in
favor OF the fullest inquiry into mill
tary conditions by regular commit
tees of the house and senate, and
added that there were no facts in pos
session of the executive departments
which were not at the disposal of
these committees. Senator James
Hamilton Lewis, Democratic whip of
which would direct an exhaustive in
quiry by the military and naval com
mittees Of the senate into the oXpen-
diture of millions OF dollars appropr-
ated in the past for national defense.
The inquiry would ascertain actual
military conditions. The resolution
was referred TO the committee on mill
itary affairs.
Another military measure, submit
ted by Senator Chamberlain of ore
gon, chairman of the military affairs
committee, proposed the creation of a
council of national defense, to consist
Of the secretary of state as president,
the secretaries Of war and navy, the
chairmen OF appropriations, military.
naval and foreign relations commit
tees of the senate and house, the chief
of staff of the army and an officer of
navy war colleges. Such a board
would investigate conditions of ma
tional defense and make recommen-
dations for Improvement.
Senator Hitchcock had passed by
the senate without debate resolu-
tion calling upon the secretary OF
commerce for information as to the
extent of expectation of arms and mu-
nitions of war from the United States
to belligerent foreign nations or 10
Canada; existing contracts in this
country for expectation of such ma
terials, and the normal condition OF
exports OF such materials in time OF
peace. Later Senator Hitchcock in
troduced bill which would prohibit
the sale of munitions of war or ma
terials for use in such munitions dur
ing the existence of war, except upon
proof that they were not to be used
against any country with which the
United States was at peace.
Representative Gardner tonight is
sued statement in which he said:
The president, ] think. has over
looked the fact that my resolution
calls for a report as well as an in
vestigation. Four different indepen-
dent committees. composed of about
fifty members Of congress, are
charged with the duty of laying down
our military policy in a haphszard,
unrelated sort of way. How can four
independent committees adequately
Investigate themselves and make an
intelligent report?
What the public wants to know is
not what Chairman Hay, Chairman
Sherley, Chairman Padgett and Chair
man Fitzgerald think of their own
a thpir nrpHanaacnro' ,.ost, -,
what somebody else thinks of it.
81 notice that the president in the
White House statement does not an
swer my question as to the propriety
of smotheriDg my resolution In the
committee on rules without a square
yea and nay vote. nor does he answer
my question as to officers testimony
before the committee on rules
1T may be easy enough to chloro-
Continued on Page Three.)