The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-08-29


been taken 10 bring our army ard navy
up 10 the highest point OF efficiency and
II We had acted promptly and etfectivc-
ny to prevent outraEes upon our citt-
zens IN Mexico. neither the Falabar or
the oulflfxht would have been at
tackled, or would our men. women and
children have been murdered on thc
Lusitania and Arabic.
sAt times Within the last two years
the administration Of which Mr.. GAR
riscn is part has sent to Mexico as well
toned to measure words by deeds
would regard as uitimatums.
I'm the case Of this administration
the ultimatum has usually been fol-
lowed by penuitimate and then by
an anti-penultimate and so on in df-
minishing progression. Does Mr.. Gar
rison realize that IL our notifications
to Mexico are to be taken at their
face value we should bring our reEu-
lar army up to It's fullest possible
strength? II 80 he cannot be ignorant
of the fact that each Of our regiments
Is less than one half the strength which
It ought to be II there il any serious
purpose to use It to enforce az regards
Mexico what we have said.
III Fighting Talk IL Used, Prepare.
Now, does Mr.. Garrison not under
stand that IL is exceedingly foolish to
use strong words and yet be unpre-
pared to back them up by deeds7 Does
he not understand that IL Is exceed
ingiy foolish to use about Mexico and
to Mexico words which imply that we
intend TO fight and yet to keep our
regiments below rather than above the
strength proper for them when there
Is not cloud on the horizon OF
peace7
IF the administration did not mean
business when It threatened Mexico.
1t had no right to use the language n
did. II II did mean business II had
no right and has no right to keep our
regiments at less than half the strength
they should be IL the words OF the
administration are to be made good.
again, as Mr.. Garrison Is speaking
OF preparedness. / point out to him
that for nearly two years In 1913 and
1914 the ships were never exercised in
feet manoeuvering and. as / am re-
liably informed, were never exercised
In feet or squadron gunnery A
moderately intelligent child Of six
knows that the failure for two years
to undertake such ri1anoeuvers means
a literally criminal deterioration In
the feet and cannot possibly mean any
thing else.
Matter Of Common Sense.
EMO expert knowledge Ii needed on
this point. It 10 q matter of ordinary
common sense. The very great faIisna
off in gunnery that was shown by the
results last spring and the early part
Of the summer are directly due to this
culpable misconduct In handling our
navy and 1t represents unpreparedness
of the very worst kind. because un-
preparedness that takes the shape of
letting weapons that have been made
lately utterly deteriorate, and even
more than failure to provide new
weapons.
six months have gone by since
the administration OF which Mr.. Gar
rison is part sent to Germany n note
which was inexcusabie unless II wns
meant as an ulttmatum. The note
stated that we would hold Germany to
a '.strict accountability IL It did the
things II mas done to our ships and TO
our citizens travelling on lawful bust
ness on passenger ships
Tn this ultfmatum II was stated
that II Germany did any more Of these
things we would hold II strictly &C.
countabie.' Az matter Of fact the
strict accountability has taken the