Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-01
NATIONAL DEFENSE
OFFERS PROBLEM
Question of Raising Funds for
improvements Must
Be Solved.
IMMENSE BOND ISSUE
ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS
Amount Placed as High as $780,
900, coo in Some Quarters-Char-
acter of Program Also Issue.

President Wilson's coming conference
with Secretaries Garrison and Daniels
on national defense, that there may be
better preparedness to meet possible
foreign exigencies, will be simply the
beginning of the solution of the huge
problem that confronts the chief execu-
tive on this question. it was stated yes
terday by those who are ognizant OF the
things that must be done.
1t will not be difficult for Secretary
Garrison. aided by the chief of staff OF
the army and those under him. to make
recommendations to Congress for a
larger army and a bigger and better
National Guard as a supplement to the
increased regular army. Ofhcers or the
army have long been planning for TINS
sort of thing, but have never been able
to obtain the sanction of Congress
They have pretty solid ideas already as
to what the coast defenses need to
block a foreign enemy; what increase
there should be in the various branches
of the army. They can estimate pretty
accurately how much money 1t Will
take each year to do all this.
Recommendations Easiest Part.
Aided by the heads of the various bu-
reaus in his department., Secretary Dan
iels will not find it an immense job
either to tell President Wilson and
Congress how many submarines he Will
need to put the navy in better state
of preparedness; how many dread
noughts ought to be added to the float
ing defense and offense of the nation
how many cruisers. how much add
tional fighting material OF all KINDS;
how much money all this Will take
Recommendations are the easiest part
of all this extensive program OF more
efficient national defense.
When the heads of departments have
convinced the President that their
views as to the enlargement are cor
rect and he is ready to submit these
great problem Of raising the money to
meet the enlargement. The President
will have frequent conferences on this
subject with Secretary McAdoo and his
cabinet as a whole. 1t will be up to
Secretary McAdoo to suggest to Con-
gress the best manner of raising the
huge additional revenue that will be
called for to defray the expenses.
Will Consider Estimates.
If there is no extra session Of Con-
gress the President will devote several
cabinet meetings in October or early
November to consideration of the esti-
mates of expenditures for the fiscal
year 1917 that will have to be submit
ted to Congress for consideration OF
that body beginning in December. II
an extra session should be called the
estimates will have to be submitted
earlier.
Suggestions have already appeared
that the administration will ask Con-
gress to provide a huge bond issue to
provide money for general enlarge
80 he Aexht nf
country In some quarters this bond
issue has been placed as high as $780,
100000. the presumption being that the
legislation for national defense this
winter will be on such big scale as
to call for great sums of money al
most Immediately the legislation be-
comes effective.
Must Decide on Program.
What the President and his cabine,
must decide first, and Congress after
| ward. Is whether Congress is going to
provide for a permanent program OF
possible war enlargement, which the
nation will probably never depart from
or whether the program is to be one
of temporary enlargement. in which
millions will be spent in a few years
for coast defense and navy increase. a
| more permanent program to follow
when deemed advisable. 1t is general.
ly assumed that the President will
| urge Congress to adopt a policy OF
permanent, steady preparation to meet
possible future complications and that
there will be little of an emergency
nature in his program. This prepare
ton. through greatly increased ap-
propriationS would go on for years.
Such a program. it is pointed out
by high officials. would call for
permanent revenues to meet the in,
creased appropriations. and a bond
| issue would be unlikely except in the
| event of emergency or hasty prepare
lions, as was the case when the wal
against Spain made necessary the rails.
| ing of millions within a short time tc
equip the army and navy. Therefore
the problem ahead of the administra
ton and the democrats in Congress will
be one of increasing the revenues on q
permanent basis