Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-29

sible strength? II so. we cannot be
ignorant OF the fact that each Of our
| regiments is less than half the strength
! which II ought to be, If there is any
| serious purpose to use II TO enforce. as
regards Mexico. what we have said.
FOOLISH TO USE STRONG WORDS
AND YET BE UNPREPARED
Now. does MIR. Garrison not under
stand that it is extremely foolish to
use strong words and yet be unpre.
pared to back them up by deeds? Docs
! he not understand that 1t Is exceeding
iy foolish to uso. 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 a cloud on the horizon?
III the administration did not mean
business when IT threatened Mexico
IT had no right to use the language
1t did. II it did mean business, 1t had
no right. and has no right, to keep
our regiment Mt less than half the
strength they should be. If the words
OF the administration are to be made
good.
Again. as Mr.. Garrison is speak,
ing OF preparedness, I point out to
MN that for nearly two years. in 1913
and 1914. the ships Of the navy were
never exercised in fleet maneuvering.
and. as 1 am reliably INFORMED. were
never exercised in fleet or squadron
gunncry.
"a moderate intelligent child OF six
knows that the failure for two years
TO undertake such maneuvers means
a literally criminal deterioration in
the fleet. and cannot possibly mean
anything else. No expert knowledse
is needed on this point: it is mere
matter OF ordinary common sense.
The very great falling off In the
Gunnery that was shown by the re-
suits last spring and the early part
OF the summer are directly cue to this
culpable misconduct In handling our
navy, ana 1t represents unprcpared-
ness of the very worst kind, because
unpreparedness that takes the shape
of letting the weapons that have been
made ready utterly deteriorate is even
worse than failure to provide new
weapons.
Six months have gone by since the
administration of which Mr.. Garrison
Is part sent to Germany note which
was lneXcusable unless il was meant
as an uNimatum. The note stated
that we would hold Germany to n
strict accountability If 1t did the
thing which it has ever since steadily
done TO our ships. and to our citizens
travelling on lawful business on pas
senGer ships.
In this ultimatum it was stated
that If Germany did any of these things
we would hold it strictly accountable.
AS matter of fact the strict account
ABILITY has taken the shape of n mum
Der OF notes couched In good English
ana admirable as exercises In rhetoric.
But meanwhile between one and two
hundred of our citizens have been
killed and number of our ships have
been sunk, and we are still only in
the conversational stage on the sub
ject
i commend these facts to Mr.. Garri-
son attention. IT, as he says, he
agrees with me about preparedness, he
VIII at once begin to prepare his own
department. in order to make good the
words OF his chief toward Mexico, and
he Will also use his best endeayors in
II missionary spirit to secure from that
cnieI Il complete reversal of what has
been done in the Navy Department
so much for preparedness AS for
the other subject on which | spoke
hNphcnated Amer!cans-if Mr. CARR
son believes there should be a dual
Alliance in this country and approves
OF having bodies OF American citizens
aSltate, not as such, but as men whose
who!c interest is in the welfare OF a
foreign country and who wish to use
this, their adopted land, only as a
means for furthering the fortunes OF
the lard of their birth or their ances-
tors-why. II Secretary Garrison's
objections to my speech was because
OF my attitude on this matter, and If
he VIII state his objection, l will dis
cuss that with him also"