The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-12-30
SENATOR w. l. JONES
ASKS PEOPLES VIEWS
He is Not Advocate of Extensive
Preparations but will Vote
the Will of the People

L Co yoo bSiSNS III PASfS<A SeAASoS .
u. S. Senator Wesley L.. Jones wants
to know and to ascertain the views of
TIE people of the state Of Washing
ton, and he has sent out the follow
ing open letter of inquiry.
To each individual in the state of
Washington:
/ earnestly ask that every man and
woman will read carefully the ques-
tons below and, after considering
them from every angle, sit down and
write me his or her views thereon. l
have frankly stated my personal
views but, as the representative OF
our people, desire in a matter of
this kind to reflect their views as
nearly as / can ascertain what they
are; and it is to get this information
that / am submitting these inquiries.
Do we need larger standing army
than we now have for purely peace
purposes and domestic duties? l
think not.
Whatever may be the final outcome
of the present war in Europe, do you
think that any of the countries in
volved will want to go to war with
us at once or very soon after it comes
to close? / do not think so.
If you think any country now in
volved will desire to go Immediately
or very soon into war with us, kindly
say why you think SO.
Do you think it most probable that
there will be at least several years of
general peace when the war closes?
/ do.
If we are likely to be attacked by a
strong power, do you think that an in
crease in our standing army by 49,
600 men will enable us to make an
effective defense? do not.
IF we. should prepare now to meet
an attack by strong power in the
near future, don't you think we should
make an adequate and prompt pre-
paration by organizing a standing
army of 100000 or 100000 men as
urged by the war experts? / do.
If trouble is to come soon, should
we take four or five years to prepare
to meet it either in military or naval
preparations / think not.
If early trouble is not probable,
would it not be wiser to wait until
the war closes and determine our pol
icies by the conditions then existing?
I do.
Don't you think the wisest prepar-
atoms now would be the construction
of interstate highways along our
coast lines, so that in case OF the land
ing of hostile force we could mo-
bilize quickly our defense where it IS
needed? I think so.
We are excited over preparedness.
There is disposition to rush I'M
mediately into some scheme or plan
for increasing our military and naval
power regardless of the cost and with
out waiting to see what the condl-
tions may be that will confront us
at the close of this war. If we con-
duct ourselves in neutral way, none
of the countries engaged in it will
want to get into contest with US.
Conditions resulting from the nnai
treaty of peace may make the future
actions of nations in regard to mill
tary ornaments entirely different
from what they are now. Because OF
the very great Importance OF this sub
iect and of what increased military
and naval ornaments mean In the
way of increased taxes, am anxious
to know the individual views OF as
many of our people as I can secure on
the questions submitted. To me 1t
looks like we are unduly excited and
that the wise course to take would be
to give our attention to preparing TO
meet the commercial contest that we
are sure to face, and when war closes
determine our military and naval pol
lev upon the conditions then existing
among the great nations of the world.
Most respectfully,
w. L. JONES.