The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18
GARDNER IS WITH .HObSON ON NEEDOF FIGHTING STRENGTH Massachusetts Man Tells How United States Might
 Get Into Trouble
 Any Minute

Washington. october l7.-fspecaL)-At Vast has arisen man in Congress after Representative Hobson's own heart. and in Representative Gardner of Massachu- setts he will find a sympathizer in the belief that the United States is entirely unprepared for any war in which it pos slbly might become involved. Hitherto, Gardner has stood at the right hand of Representative Burnett, chairman of the immigration committee, in keeping un desirable immigrants out of the coun- try; now. he will stand shoulder to shoulder with Hobson, also.
 In all his pleas for a greater navy and his assertions that war was possible, even through improbable, Hobson has been met with the answer. .Jingo."' and eventually he subsided. Whats the use?' he may have felt, but at all events he apparently has retired into his shell.
 Far different with Gardner. who bristles3 up when the word 'jingo'' is mentioned. and inclines to language which might inspire hardened sailor to retaliation. So, when Gardner introduced a resolu- tion for the appointment of a commission to investigate the preparedness, or un- preparedness. of the United States for aid suggested:
 You probably will be denounced as d lingo like Hobson.
 Let em cry jingo' all they want to. retorted Gardner. Pm not afraid, We're not prepared for war; and everyone in the country knows we're not. God knows, TO one has a greater horror of war than :. I have but in these times no one knows 2 what is liable to happen
 Then, moved to further speech, he sat down and dictated the following explan- ation of his position:
 .I have introduced this resolution to- investigate the military status of the United States because I know that a Yublic searchlight will open the eyes of Americans to situation which is be- ing concealed from them. The United States is totally unprepared for war, defensive or offensive, against a real power. In my opinion, the effect of the vast sums of money spent by MT Car negie in his peace propaganda has been to blind Americans to the fact that our national security from a military point of view is undermined.
 Nearly every army and navy officer 10 whom have spoken tells me the same story of inadequate security. I have yet to speak to single. member of eithep the committee on naval affairs or the committee on military affairs of the House of Representatives, in whose judg- r2ent I have confidence, who does not in private make exactly the same ad- hilSSlOn l ct all these gentlemen seem to consider it their duty to refrain from making public any statement
 We are the most prosperous nation of earth and to the south of us lies the wonderful South American continent which we have closed to European col onizaton by the Monroe doctrine. | simply cannot understand how any in- 7. telligent student of history can fail to see that we are impotent to defend our sselves and to enforce the Monroe doc Urine by moral suasion and financial might alone The time has not yet come when the United States can afford to allow the martial spirit of her sons to be destroyed and all the Carnegie mill lions in the world will not silence those of us who believe that bullets cannot be stopped with bombast nor powder vanquished by platitudes.
 ] "It is true that with respect to the - present European war my views are not those of a neutral. I am entirely convinced that the German cause is un- holy and. moreover, a menace to the principles of denlocracy. Furthermore Il believe that the god of battles will visit defeat upon the Germans. But, no mat ter which side wins, we must remem- Der that since the beginning of time vic- torious nations have proved head-strong and high-handed. We must begin at once to reorganize our military strength M we expect to be able to resist high h6ndedness when the day of necessity comes.
 "Of course. all this is unpopular doc Urine. It would be far easier for me to declare that all is well and that our present military establishment, coupled with our National Guard and our Naval Militia is to be depended upon for our defense. Unfortunately, I cannot bring myself to believe any such thing
 Like Hobson, Gardner saw service in the Spanish war and as a captain of volunteers was under fire in that un- pleasantness.
 When shown letter from a friend in .l Germany of the correspondent of The Age- Herald. month ago, predicting that the Japanese would take strategic islands in the Pacific, both Hobson and Gardner irdorsed the prophecy. The Japanese s.Ece then have made good the fore cast
 Whether Hobson now will support Gard ner in his fight for the adoption of hls Resolution and his demand for a search Ming investigation of military and naval conditions remains to be seen. At all events, he will .have Ito go some' to match Gardner'S language on the sup- ject of neutrality dear to the Pres ident and Secretary Bryans hearts.