South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-04-15
ADMINISTRATION NOW READY To
TALK ARMY AND NAVY
IMPROVEMENTS


are being made by the army and navy
experts which viii receive the presi-
dents fun support upon their trans
mission To the military and naval ar
fairs committee next winter These
plans Will follow out the recommend
ations made by the president TO the
last session Of congress. They are
exactly what Congressman Gardner.
who recently addressed the Knife and
Fork club here. and his clique. did not
wish TO wait for. when, for political
ard other reasons. he sought 10 force
an investigation Of military prepared
neEs." 1t has always been the idea of
the administration TO make full use OF
the lessons learned in the present
struggle abroad and 10 apply them TO
making the American navy the equal
OF any on the ocean, but on the other
hand, the administration has had no
idea Of rushing ahead as nave admin
istrations agone. with engagements Of
army and navy equipments at great
i expense. yet producing nothing, as the
war has been proving. Of any particu-
lar value.
An investigation such as Congress
man Gardner, 7. Roosevelt. and others
appear TO have wanted, would have
been the height Of folly at this time
Prepared or unprepared, no nation of
sense. would. in the face of any decree
OF danger. undertake TO advertise its
preparedness or unpreparedness to the
world. CONGRESSMAN Gardner knew
that the administration would not
stand for it; likewise 7. Roosevelt
and their resort TO the demand has
been for no other purpose than Of
embarrassment and for the political
effect that it might have on the public
mind
Meanwhile a number Of experts who
have been abroad observing the war,
have returned home and work will
go forward this summer on plans for
the newest things in submarines,
aeroplanes. big guns. new explosives.
seaplanes. high speed craft and other
adjuncts to an up-to-date naval de
Tense program. This equipment once
provided will be Of some permanent
value; quite different than had the
nation rushed into "a wholesale pat
rOnage Of the armor plate, gun metal
and powder trusts, quite seemingly
represented by the Gardneresque ag-
gregation. buying lot of stuff I'll only
for the Junk heap" This would
please the trust" all right, no doubt.
but the administration is pledged
~.
people. Every time the government
can be induced TO build an antequated
gun or a useless warship. that much
sooner it Will have to try again and
build something worth while at an
other big expense; hence Congressman
Gardner may have been anxious for a
rush at navy building IN order TO
force double dose of purchases
j There has never been any other than
"a political excuse for the congress-
mans anti preparedness" campaign:
that u.s. unless he is willing 10 admit
I that his love for the war trust" is in
excess Of his political acumen.
Besides when the time comes to
build there is a reasonable prospect
. be clipped in another manner which
IS agitating the Massachusetts, con-
gresham considerably. Congressman
Clyde Fl Tavenner touched this off i'm
response TO one OF the Massachusetts
mans explosions during the last ses-
sion. Whether we have ammunition
and armament or not. sufficient TO re-
sist an invasion. we have spcn. enough
money on il that we ought TO have it.
and the most Of it was spent by re-
publcans long before the democrats
had chance. We have been paying
forty per cent more to- the powder
trust for various sorts of ammunition
and shrapnel than tho government i'm
1913 found il could manufacture these
things for itself. and armOr plate and
gun building has come at about the
$same proporionately hiSh price.
= The time has about come when the
overnment. pressed by the people.
will insist that army and navy Off
cials spendinE S25O.00o.OoO OF the
Ipeople's money annually. at goOdly
salaries paid from the public pocket.
hall cease their friendship for the
I armament and ammunition monopoly I
nd become the friends of The people [
whom they are employed 60 serve. It /
s time that the people be let i'm ON this /
secret OF who the profit makers arc 10 |
be i'm the observation-disclosures move I
ment that Congressman Gardner is SO /
bly, championing We go further and /.
venture the assertion that not thirty /.
members of congress know the iden- |
tity OF the select ring of patriots for !
profit into whose pockets the millions /
Of the masses are pouring. which gen i
lemon have "a water tight monopoly /
n this country on the traffic OF war
trading and who have drawn down
very penny of s50.00o.oo0 in excess .
ive and eXtortonate profits from the
government by direct virtue OF their
influential friends in the army. the