The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-12-11
SAYS u, Sis NOT
READY To FIGHT
Wilson'S CjijzenTy Soldiers Rid
died by Gardner.
FITZGERALD WILL REPLY
Only 10000 MIitiamen In the coun.
try, and Guns and Ammunition Are
Lacking, Gardner Says.


Washington, Dec. II. - War talk
held the floor of the house of repre-
sentatives, and the preparedness OF
the nation was the subject under dis
cussion.
Representative Gardner. author of
the resolution calling for investiga-
ton OF the national defenses, assailed
! President Wilson for opposing his
plan.
Mr.. Gardner prefaced his remarks
by announcing that he had introduced
a bill to enact into law Secretary
Garrison's recommendation in his an
nual report to recruit the United
States army to it's full war strength.
A large portion Of his speech Mr..
Gardner devoted to an analysis of
President Wilson's references to ma
! tional defense in his address to con-
gress on Tuesday.
He declared that the president had
set uD "a DOGGY man of straw" and
| that "if war were to break out today
it would be found that our coast de-
| lenses have not sufficient ammunition
| for an hours fighting.
GIVE must depend in every time OF
national peril upon citizenry trained
and accustomed to arms says the
president" continued Gardner. But
| how are we to get enough citizenry,
| as he calls us ordinary people? Does
| the president realize that there are
| only 100000 militiamen in this whole
nation? Does he understand that 3d.
| 900 of them did not even show up for
annual inspection last year? Does
| he know that 900 did not appear at
| the annual encampment? Is he aware
that $4,000, or nearly half, of this citi'
| zenry never appeared at the rifle
| range during the whole course of last
year?
"Where is this citizenry to get the
| weapons of war? According to the
| last report of the chief of staff we
are short SIC field guns and 1,322,3S4
rounds of ammunition necessary to
equip our militia in time of war. Last
year General Wood asked for enough
guns and ammunition to bring the
| United States up to the standard OF
Bulgaria. That immodest demand was
, gently but firmly rejected.
Gwen the president, with his trans
| cendental ideas, cannot expect his
trained citizenry to fight with their
| fists.
Arbitration! What grand word!
| All Carnegie has to show for his
money is an unprepared England and
an unprepared Belgium. Possibly |
ought to accord him one other scalp
| to his tomahawk, although that scalp
| Is made of imitation hair. The pacll.
| cists boast that their efforts have at
| least made every nation disclaim the
responsibility for the war. Had Bel
GUM like Switzerland and Holland,
Anfideacs In - troops and1
| less in arbitration and scraps OF pa
per, she might today be free from the
agony of invasion.
"Yet, every scrap of paper to which
America puts her sign manual must
be scrupulously redeemed. Come what
may, we must fulfill our treaty obliga-
lions, even if every other nation on
earth is false But suppose that at
some future time we find our path
beset by nations with smaller con.
sciences and larger howitzers-what
then? Shall we defend ourselves with
mammoth rolls of Sunday school sig
natures, or shall we place our depend.
ence in Chautauqua lectures?"
Representative Fitzgerald, chairman
of the appropriations committee, in
brief reply, and obviously speaking
for the administration, announced his
intention Of making a detailed state
ment as to the nations preparedness.
81 shall make statement on this
question of preparedness" he said,
before this session of congress ends
and perhaps then some of these for,
mer secretaries who are seeking no
toriety will not be so anxious to call
attention to the annual reprts they
made when In Office"