Mexico Missouri message., 1914-03-05
CONGRESS is o5EYINo THE OLD
epAcE TO MAKE READY IN
TIME OF PEACE.
lEoUIPs THE ARMED SERVICE
Needing the Warnings Of Colonel
Thompson and General Wood, Il
ls Putting the Army on
Sound Basis.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

CompactS OF peace petWech lnib natiOn
and many others are In process Of ne.
gotiatlon, congress is putting the Unit.
ed States upon a safeguarding" mill.
tary footing. In one of these Wash
ington dispatches recently It was said
The United States is pushing to COM
pletion rapidly its Notifications In the
Philippines, Hawaii and on the Pacific
coast of the Panama Canal Zone. This
ia the only war scare story which does
not meet with either daily denials or
daily evasion"
Recent events show conclusiyely
that army officers must have known
some time ago that Democratic con-
gress intended to vote money to
strengthen the armed service by sup
plying the war material necessary to
make up known deficiencies. Probably
the army knew also that congress in
tended to supply means to strengthen
the Notifications and to give the army
other things necessary to meet any
emergency.
II there was any war scare In the
original chapter, It has its supplement
in the story OF the legislative action
of today. Probably. however. there is
no real war scare in the situation. The
case doubtless Is simply one OF an
awakening to the necessity OF taking
the precautions demanded by common
sense.
Heed Col. Thompson's Warning.
Not long ago the then acting chief
OF ordnance, Col. John T. Thompson,
In an interview let 1t be known that
while the United States army in many
respects was In a proper condition to
meet the demands OF warfare, 1t was
lamentably weak in field artillery and
in ammunition. Col Thompson gave
this information to the country some
time before congress had taken up the
bills for appropriations. covering for
tifcations and munitions of war. Now
the legislators have acted and have
voted a large sum to be used to
strengthen the Notifications, to buy
the coast and field guns which are
necessary and to purchase ammunl.
ton to make them Herviceable.
The debates In congress on the
question of Increased appropriations
for war material were pointed, and as
they we're held In the open everything
that was said Ia by this time known
In Europe and In Japan, The con-
gressmen did not hesitate to talk
about other countries when they were
fiepncainO thu al -
their own country to meet an enemy
IN the field or on the sea. Taking this
debate in connection with that on the
ASiatic exclusion provision proposed
for the immigration bill, little room for
wonder Ia left that the Japanese people
are being kept more or less stirred
up over the doings In America
Putting Army on Sound Bssls.
Before long Gen. Leonard Wood will
DO transferred from his post as chief
OF stan to some other scene OF COM
mand. Not long before congress turned
Its attention to the matter OF mu.
nitions Of war. Gen. Wood told the
committee on military affairs OF the
deficiency in guns and ammunition. At
that time It was asked pointedly what
kind Of reasoning It was that put It In |
TO congressman's head that It was
all right to supply money to pay the
men OF six regiments of field artillery |
and then to give them nothing to work |
with. Congress apparently saw the |
point OF the question and has pro-
ceeded to supply the working material. |
Now the FIRST time In years the army |
OF the United States is to be upon |
something like a sound basis from
which to begin active operations II
The necessity shall arise,
What Of Senator 5orah7
What Of Borah? Washington Pro-
srossives and Republicans, yes, and
Democrats. too. today are discuss
ing the probable future political at.
utude OF Senator William z. Borah
oi Idaho, The senator, as is known.
IL progressive Republican. He has
Just made speech to the great Re
publican club OF New York which has
Ied TO comment and speculation In
" ashington by the members OF all the
political parties.
"hen the Republican national com. /
tnittee met In Washington last Decem-
per- several progressive Republicans
were Invited to address the members.
william q. Borah was one OF them.
ile was the only Republican OF known
p'osressive instincts and actions who
uechned In any way to mollify the
,.olhmitteemen by intimating that he
AneW whatever action they took with
.elersnce to calling an extraordinary
of the Republican party
would ' be actuated by high motives.
ne senator did not urge the calling
!. national convention and he was
me only one Of tho progressive Re-
puoneans who took this negative
IL was said at the time that Mr.. Bor.
"a declined TO stand with other pro-
Republicans In favor of an
convention of the Re-
, .on party to regulate southern