Milford chronicle., 1915-08-13
What The UNITED STATES FACES

Washington, Aug. 8, (SpeciaD. 1t IS
noted here that, in all the talk about
the legislation for national defence
which is expected at the next session
of Congress, there is nothing to connect
the President definitely with anything
that is under discussion. He is SAID to
have written a letter to Mr.. Garrison
and to Mr.. Daniels calling for a pro-
gramme to be submitted to Congress.
But the text of the letter has not been
published, nor has there been single
statement, purporting to be authorlta-
tive, upon which to assert that the
President has really changed his opinion
since he told Congress, last December
that the country has been mlsln-
formed and that 1--WE have not Deen
negligent of national defence.
Mr.. Garrison was then urging Con-
press to act. and so was the General
Board of the navy. But the President
then sided with Mr.. Daniels and with
the cheeseparers in Congress-an noun
ing was done. With whom will he nm
ally side now? There is no unanlmity
among Democrats on the subject OF
national defence. Mr.. Hay and Mr..
Kitchen have already made their views
known. the latter opposing an army OF
even 10000 men. And Mr.. Under
wood, when his turn comes to speak,
will. doubtless, as usual, be looking to
the revenue end of the problem.
For it will take money, much money,
to carry out any adequate scheme OF
militarv preparedness; and Mr.. Under
woods tariff bill, and his income tax,
1 L. 20
taxes" " all combined, are not producing
money enough to pay the running eX-
penses of the Government now-tO say
nothing of an enlarged expenditure Ior
the army and navy.
The money which the last Congress
might have used for defence was IN tact
used for foolish and unnecessary eXpah-
sion of the Government s salary llsC,
for the creation and maintenance OF eX-
pensive commission, with thousands OF
functionaries, and for Junketlng trips
of all kinds. That money is now gone,
no new money has been found to replace
it, and, if national defence IS 10 pc
undertaken, it means more taxes or the
issue of bonds. No Democrat has yet
been found suggesting economy IN otner
directions in order to secure money Ior
defence legislation. Certainly the Pres
ident has suggested nothing Of the KIND,
and many people here think that the
President has made to nobody definite
suggestion of any character on this i'm
portant subject. In fact, it is fair to
inquire-and many people here are IN
quiring-a are we to witness some more
''Watchful waiting 2?
For other reasons, there is scant nope
that the next Congress will do much
for the national defence. Hay OF Vlr-
ginia will remain at the head OF the
House committee on military affairs.
In the last Congress twas Hay who in
troduced the bill to cut down the regu-
lar cavalry one-third, proposal hap
PLY defeated; his committee refused
greatly needed increase of field artillery
and ammunition, which, however as a
result of the Vera Cruz enterprise, the
Senate insisted upon; he had a part IN
the defeat of a resolution to permit the
President to increase the mobile army
to war strength, a small increase sup
ported by sound reasons of military ell
cheney and true economy; and now We
find Mr.. Hay laying the foundation Tor
an extension of his obstructiOnist record
by assuring the public that the Euro
pean powers will be so exhausted by
the present war that they will be una
bic to attack ''the strongest nation on
aorfb -