Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-10-27
Some Presidential "Moves."

democratic press ana OTdtoTS dic
frantically calling attention to the
manner in which the people are
cent espousal of plans for national de-
tense. Amazing, isn't 1.-THE way
they flock? Reminds us Of the way
Gooseberry- Scoot used to make
up his mind"-asked "Marthy.''
If there's anything in the world on
which President Wilson is strong, it is
national defense. He is now ready to
expend billion of the peoples money
for Enthusiastically issuing
bonds enough to pay the present and
daily growing national deficit).
The people wouldn't notice little
matter of two hundred millions of dol
lars covered in, in bond issue of "a
billion for defense" @rfs'
Yes, President Wilson and other
Democratic party heads are strong for
national defense.
Until the last few weeks Mr.. Wilson
has not been long on defense; when
matters became too warm he'd move
He moved" on canal tolls; he moved
on suffrage; he moved on the Mexican
problem; he moved on the question Of
sugar duties; he moved on the ship
ping bill; he moved on "pitiless pub
licity"; he must move on the notorious
seaman's law.
Sometimes it is easier to move"
quietly and without excuses. than to
remain and explain and defend; and
then, you know, people soon forget
that one ever lived in an undesirable
quarter
Preparedness" is a new place to the
President, but the people are there
with him for, 10 and behold! they were
there first-and that is why he
moved
Hence the Democratic press pro-
claims that 1.-THE people stand with the
President for defense"
= How true!
A Washington correspondent of the
Boston Transcript writes to his paper:
The most notorious reversal Of the
Administration has been upon the sub
ect Of national defence. The re-
doubtable Augustus P. Gardner Of
Massachusetts, broke loose upon this
4oQun ~ ,oor nd ~
ly Informed the country that foreign
enemy. could sail across the Atlantic
and walk all over the United States
practically unchallenged, because of
our military unpreparedness. A spe-
cific suggestion of Captain Gardner
was put up to the White House and
the President replied that national de-
fence was an academic question which
he had heard discussed ever since he
was ten years old. Gardeners agita-
ton, he intimated. afforded good men,
tai exercise, and he added in about SO
many words that some people might
as well discuss the question of nation
al defence as anything else. Today
Captain Gardner is recognized to have
been right. even by President Wilson.
The country. shocked by the invasion
of Belgium and wrought up by the
killing Of helpless non-combatants on
the high seas is demanding a much
larger army and navy and the Ad-
ministration is putting out another
line Of feelers, some of them SO ex-
aggerated as to shock even the warm
est advocates Of preparedness. The
President has committed himself in
black and white to an adequate"
military programme: and the country
knows perfectly well that II "ade-
quate" defence is to be provided, it
can be secured only at an expense Of
hundreds Of millions of dollars.
But the bond issue for preparedness
should save the Democratic face by
also covering the deficit.
The Administration did not wait two
years to move" on Panama Canal
tolls. The Democratic platform
adopted at Baltimore in 1912 declared
that I'VE favor the exemption from
toll Of American ships engaged in
roastwise trade passing. through the