Evening star., 1915-01-15
Wants People to Decide.

Wants People to Decide.
"I wish the people to have the con-
dftion of our natural defenses clearly
and honestly presented to them," Sen
ator Lodge declared, land then decide
what they wish to have DONE But in
order that the people of the United
States may understand what the con-
dftions are on which they are asked
to decide they must have those condi-
tions laid before them in comprehen-
sive manner"
Replying to the criticism of himself
as party man." Senator Lodge as
serted that it is true he is a party man
and always had been one.
But it does not follow because 1 am
party man." he said, that 1 treat
all subjects which come before the
country or before Congress from a
party standpoint, The resofution it.
self shows that 40 partisan advantage
is sought, for 1t provides that three
members of the commission shall be
appointed by the Speaker of the House
three by the Vice President and three
by the President of the United States
With such an appointing power. can ii
be imagined by any one that | am try
ing to create a partisan commission
which would work in the interests OF
the republican party and against the
democratic party?"
Senator Lodge contended that the
trainers of the Constitution clearly
contemplated that the government
ought to have an adequate national de-
fense well prepared in time of peace
to meet the exigencies of war.
The reports of the War and Navy de-
partments. he asserted, show clearly
the .unpreparedness of the country for
war and that the coast defenses and
insular possessions are inadequately
defended and at the mercy of a foreign
power.
Importance Of Panama Canal.
THE Panama Canal Zone is more i'm
portant to us for our national defense
than anything else," he said "At the
present moment it is miserably and
most inadequately protected"
Turning to the volunteer situation,
Senator Lodge declared that Gen.
Wotherspoon recommended in his re-
port since the European war that the
country would need 100000 men in any
large emergency, instead of 100000 as
recommended by the Secretary of War
All the equipment of small arms and
ammunition on hand, he said, was suf-
f1cient only for 100000 men, providing
no reserve supplies.
tleships,' he said, there are twelve
which would require months of work
to get them in order. The United
States has four dreadnaughts building
ers, but our most obvious weakness is
in submarines.
''The American people, in my opinion
understand well that a sufficient ma
tional defense does not imply war, but
is an assurance against war. They are
not misled by the parrot cry that pre-
paredness brings war. There Is nc
>1hought of conquest in the hearts of
the American people We wish for
nothing but peace abroad and at home
He warned that the ocean barrier that
defended the country IN 1916 and 1872
had been destroyed by steam and cleo
tricity. Unarmed. unready. undefended
the nation stands an invitation to ag-
gression and attack, he said.
He expressed regret that only sixteen
men are on the reserve list, subject to
be called back to the colors to fill up
the gaps which war would make in the
regular army
Deficiency in Artillery. :
Senator Lodge declared the army was
without sufficient artillery and artillery
ammunition, and said available testimony
showed that the guns in the Notifications
were of shorter range than those carried
by foreign warships of the latest design
He said the army had practically no
motor trucks for transport or armored
motor cars with machine guns.
..The difficulty appears to be-" he con-
tirued, according to the War Depart
ment, that no satisfactory motor truck
has vet been developed in the United
| states" Despite this, he said, Canada
| had bought a number of American
motor trucks. and apparently think.
them entirely sufficient for use in the
Senator Lodge stated that there was
apparently sufficient number of mines
| for harbor defense, but that there was a
! shortage of cable and mine planters
| AS to the navy, Senator Lodge said
more destroyers were needed. but the
most obvious weakness was in submarines.
The worst deficiency. he continued, was in
scout cruisers, the United States having
only three, against seventy,four in Eng
land, forty-one in Germany and thirteen
in Japan.
Three Scouts tor 5000 Miles of Coast
1--WE have, therefore. three scou,
crusers," declared the senator, st,
protect and give warning of the ap.
proach of a hostile fleet for 5000 milel
of coast on the Atlantic and the Pa
! cific. If they we're concentrated OF