Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-12

Inc journal or yesterday MORNING
contained reports Of Secretary
Daniels testimony before the naval
affairs committee Of the house and
the speech Of Congressman Gardner
in the house itself relative 20 the pre-
paredncss OF the United States for
war. Their views We're quite divergent
IN this country. MS in almost every
other civilized land. the European
war has transformed the problem OF
rational defense into the livest Of
quotations.. II isinot unlikely that the
paramount issue m the next political
campaign viii turn on the question,
TO arm or not 80 arml
Already the debate waxea warm. A
question that has been largely neg
lected by most OF us has suddenly
become exigent. There are those like
Gardner who rush TO the extreme OF
demanding quick expenditures for
anything the gunmakera, the plate
mills and the powder factories may
nuEpcst There are others who, In
fear OF nm outbreak OF Kruppism In
this country. point 10 the ghastly
demonstration IN Europe Of how ex.
ccssivc armament proyokcs war, and
urge abandonment Of armament en-
tirely ~ war preventive.
Every extreme finds valuable ex-
preston Ia public debate. and tho
sober citizen trying to think out the
problem Is dcufened and confused.
War has developed through science
and Invention from q question OF pa
triotism alone 10 a highly eomplIcat-
cd technical and financial problem.
Safe strategy involves prolonged aud
costly preparation The sober citizen
seeks sound compromise between
banluupting expenditure and coun-
Try left barren Of defense.
In these matters. the iaymnn
must pcrforce accept the Views OF
the expert sworn to the nation
nj sSrvlcc., Mr. Daniels Is not an
expert Neither is Mr.. Gardner. But
the organizations Of the army and
tho navy are headed by~men educated
In our war colleges and trained at
the expense az the nation. They never
have been infected By military az
Rfesslon, They have no more interest
than the average citizen in heavy
military expenditures. save as such
expenditures seem TO their trained
appreciation really necessary.
The two departments and The gem
eral stats have been pleading TO con-
gross and the country for many
years for adequate defensive arma-
mcnt, but with little public response.
The sense ~ congress. and It's iguor-
anec. was expressed by CONGRESSMAN
prouty OF Iowa who. In replying to-
Gardner, declared thu force Of
Inexperienced squirrel shooters could
repel any enemy that might attempt
20 land on American soil When therc
were experienced squirrel shooters
the squirrel rifle. with lis range of
possible one hundred yards, was the
equal Of the gun with which the
trained soldier was armed. but Instead
OF fighting az one hundred Yards, or
less as In the revolutionary war days,
now a rifle fire is effective at two
thousand yards and naval artillery
fire at ten 20 fifteen miles
Few Americans OF today ever had
an opportunity TO shoot squirrel,
They know only how to shoot shot
gun at flock OF birds or a target
rifle at nifty feet
Now that political leaders. urged |
BY an excited public, want 20 las bare !
the weakness Of our defense. and pour
out public money without stint. the
best experts plead for time TO take |
advantage OF the lessons OF the war
and for application OF the scientific ,
methods they have studied so long.
while there should be no unnecessary
delay. the danger to this country has
PASSED for the present. Tho only ma
lions from which We might have fear
now arc buslly fighting and have no
time 10 turn attention to the United
States
The sound compromise. between
the foolishness Of Congressman Gard.
ner on the one side and the foolish.
ness Of Secretary Bryan on The other,
will be the deliberate. but expeditions
completion OF a fleet adequate for
the defense Of both coasts, and an
army big enough to garrison coasts
exposed 10 Invasion aud 10 form
skeleton for the organization Of The i
Interior reserve the exports have been
psking for,