The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-12-08
PRESIDENT WILSON'S MESSAGE

PRESIDENT WILSON'S message was
read to congress yesterday and natur-
ally attracted great deal Of attention
as is usually the case when state pa.
per is presented by the president. Every
enc was anxious to know what the
president was going to say about pre-.
paredness as It was understood before
the message was delivered that he
would take advanced ground on this
question. AS was expected larger
navy was advocated and an increase
in the army. The increase in the
standing force of the regular army
from it's present strength OF 5,023 of.
fiecrs and lO2,9S5 enlisted men. to a
strength of 7,136 officers. and 134,707
enlisted men or 141,84S all told, is
recommended and no doubt the, plan
will be carried out. In addition TO the
increase in the regular army it is plan.
ned to supplement the army by force
of 100000 disciplined citizens raised
in installments of $4,000 year for
four years. This is to be carried tout by
a plan of enlistment under which, those
who enlist will be asked to bind them
selves to serve with the colors for pur.
poses of training for short periods
throughout three years and come to
the colors at call at any time through.
out an additional furlough period of
three years. They will be assembled
for training at stated intervals at con.
venient places i'll association with suit
able units of the regular army. 1t is
not contemplated to require their
services for over two months in the
year.
The plan contemplates an increase
in the navy of 1900 sailors, $500 ap.
prentice seamen and 1900 marines.
This increase is asked to care for the
additional ships which are to be pro.
vided. The purpose is the construc.
ton within five years of ten battle.
ships. six battle cruisers, 10 scout
cruisers. so destroyers. Is fleet subma-
rines. IS coast submarines, gunboats,
/ hospital ship. ammunition ships,
9 fuel oil ships and repair ship. In
order to secure the number it is pro-
vided for the construction Of two bat
tleships. two battle cruisers, three
scout cruisers. fifteen destrOyers. five
fleet submarines, twenty-five coast sub
marines, two gunbOats. one hospital
ship the first year. the second year a
similar proportion until the limit is
reached 1t further proposes to ill.,
crease the number of midshipmen for
the naval academy at Annapolis three
hundred in order that the force of Of
ficers should be more rapidly made up.
" This means a substantial increase
In both the army and navy and. If the
presidents program is carried out, be-
fore the present session adjourns,
provision will be made for the increase
The president has the temerity to
point with pride to his record in Mer.
leo. This is somewhat Of surprise
because It is not generally believed
that the president has won any glory
in his management of Mexican affairs.
The feeling prevails that he has fall.
Ell down wOefully in bringing about
order in that distracted country. 1t
is not difficult TO understand that if
the president had acted in concert
with Englind and Italy and some other
countries in recognizing the govern
1ment that Hucrta established some
two years ago. that great deal OF
trouble would have been averted, not
only for the Mexican people, but for
tile citizens Of this and other cOun-
tries. A very large number of people
have sacrificed their lives and great
amount of property loss has been sus.
tanned because of the presidents pol;
icy of sitting by and doing nothing
when he hould have acted and dipping
in to dictite affairs in Mexico when he
should have refused to do So