The Nome daily nugget., 1914-04-21

All the biographies or Theodorel Roosevelt--and no man living has eeen the subject of more biographical and autobiographical writing-Ay deserved stress upon his claim that ut for his forethought as assistant secretary of the navy. Admiral De- we, would have had an mmunition os Roosevelt for his effort to secure Manila.
 It is curious that while the praise with which to light the battle of 2, eparednsss for war still reverber- utes, those in places of control over our military expenditures should be permitting both the army and tn" ;,yy to sink again into the unpre- pared state from which he claims to have rescued the latter sixteen years sgo.
 It was only after a hard fight that tre senate yesterday passed the for tiications hAll sent over from the house. with an increase of s1,72o.ooO In appropriations for ammunition and siege guns. Tho house had been deaf t i. the pleas of the secretary of wal and General Croier for these appro- priations, and no doubt a new fight may be expected before the house now agrees to them.
 The point of view of the little Ann orleans who would keep the nation always in a state of military impo- tence wa saptly indicated by ques- ton put by Senator Sheppard cf Texaa
 "You say this would provide am intuition for on army of half mill lion men," said he. 'Why. if there are only 7e,000 men in the army now. should We need enough for half a miiiion?"
 The question was, of course. an- swered immediately and convincing ly. but 1t seems incredible that any man with sense enough to get into tho senate could not understand that our national theory of defense contem- plates q small standing army readily increased in time of war. It has al- ways been easy to i'll the ranks in time of need, though to fll the roster Of ofiicers with men trained to arms is mora difsicuit. In the SparHsh- American war we enrolled 260.000 men without trouble. though sorely put to u to find competent officers to drill and lead them.
 But cannon and ammunition are not to be provided and distributed h q moment, nor in q month. The in' stance of Dewey's ammunition In the Spanish war was not unique. There were volunteers and regulars going into action side by side equipped with rifles of entirely distinct types. so that ammunition could not be ex- changed. Most of the volunteers were armed with rides that were useless within easy range of the spaniarda S,nusers. just as today tho Mexicans are better equipped with field and machine guns than arc we. Had Spain in 1898 been . modern. asgres- sive nation. our lack of the vikal munitions of war would have caused us initial disasters and prolonged the var for many months.
 Without experience. % recent and so perilous. 1t seems little short ol criminal that congress should neglect the fundamental duty of providing orms and ammunition. not merely for the everyday use of the army we keep standing. but for any force up to hali 6 million. Failure in this is national suicide.
 The senate has done well to cor ,sct the error of the house. and the latter body should accept the changes in its bill. The spectacle of men saliying to tho flag in time of need but flndtng the nation. unable to