Las Vegas optic., 1914-12-10
COAST DEFENSE NOT STRONG
NAVY NOT ABLE TO COPE WITH
THE FLEETS OF THE LARe-
ER NATIONS
so DECLARES Mr.. GARDNER
HE MAKES SENSATIONAL STATE
MENTs UPON THE FLOOR OF
THE HOUSE

Washington Dec{ --Representa
tive Gardner addressed the house to-
day on his resolution for investiga-
tion Of the preparedness of the ma
tion for war. He prefaced his re-
marks by announcing that he had in
troduced bill to enact into law Sec
retary Garrison's recommendations in
his annual report published today to
recruit the United States army to its
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 annual address
to congress Tuesday. He declared the
president had set up ''bogy man Of
straw" and that IF war were to break
out today it would be found our coast
defenses have not sufficient ammuni-
tion for an hours fighting.
I'VE must depend in every time Of
national peril upon citizens trained
and accustomed to arms, says the
president said Representative Card
,ner "But now are We to get enough
citizenry as he calls us ordinary peo-
ple2 Does TIE president realize that
there are only 10000 nilItlanien Ia
this whole nation? Does he under
stand that $4,000 Of them did not even
show up last year for annual inspec-
ton? Does he know that $1,000 did
not appear at the annual encamp-
ments? Is he aware that $4,000 or
nearly half Of this citizen soIdiery
never appeared at the rifle range dur
ing the whole of last year?s
Where is this citizenry to get the
weapons Of war? According to the last
report of the chief of staff we are
short S16 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 modest demand was
gently but firmly rejected.
Il will not say that we have only
enough field artillery ammunition to
last for a single days battle if all our
guns were engaged. but I will say
that such is the statement which has
been made to me by one Of the high
est officers in the United States army.
II do not, however, hesitate to assert
that if war we're to break out today
it would be found that our coast de-
Gfenses have not sufficient ammunition
for an hours fighting. The chief Of
staff tells us that the ammunition for
the coast defense mortars would last
half hour and for the coast defense
guns three-quaFters Of an hour
In short, then, our officers and Off
lciaIs have told us that we lack men
for our navy. men ror our coast de-
tense. and men for our army; that
we lack artillery and the ammunition
with which to charge that artillery;
/ that we lack great warships to sail
the seas and little scouts to act as
their messengers and their eyes; that
we have a sadly deficient undersea
navy, and practically no overhead
fleet at all
Il have proposed that an independ'
lent commission be appointed to inves.
ltigate all these things. to recommend
to us definite policy for our future
guidance.
For the first time in the history
lof the country, so far as ! know 9
committee Of this house has refused
a hearing TO one Of the houses mem
ibers.
Arbitration what a grand word
all that Carnegie has to show for hi
money Is an unprepared England an
an unprepared Belgium Possibly
ought to accord him one other seal