The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-03
Garrison and Daniels Pre- pare Recommendations for Gradual Development of Both Army and Navy
PROGRAMME WILL
 BE SUBMITTED TO
 NEXT CONGRESS
Urges Practical and Pro- .gressive Policy for In-
 creasing Efficiency of the Naval and Coast Defense

Washington. September c.--Presldent
 Wilson tonight made public letters he
 wrote to Secretaries Garrison and Dar-
 ieis Inst month asking them to formu-
 late for him definite programmes ser
 strengthening the national defenses,
 thnt he might make recommc ndations
 in his next message to Congress. The secretaries have been at work
 or the reports for more tbnn n uauth
 and now have them virtually com
 pietcd. As soon they are submitted 1 the President will discuss them with
 the chsfrmen of the military and naval
 affairs committees of Congress. The letter to Secretary Daniels reads: | nave been giving, as I am sure you
 nave also, great deal of thought to tho
 matter of wise and adequate naval programme, to be proposed to the Con-
 sress at It's next session, and I would like to discuss the whole subject with you at the earliest possible date. But first we must have professiona, advice. l would be very much obliged Tiff you would get the best minds in the department to work on the subject; mean the men who have been most di- reetly in contact with actual modern con ditons, who have most thoroughly com prehended what the navy must be in the future in order to stand upon an equality with the most efficient and most practically serviceable
 Il want their advice, progra mme by them formulated in the most definite terms Whether we can reasonably pro- pose the whole of It to the Congress inn mediately or not we can determine when
 we have studied It. The important thing now Is 10 know and know fully what we need. Congress will certainly well come such advice and follow it to the limit of its opportunity.
 Tt should be programme planned for consistent and progressive development of this great defensive arm of the na- ton and should be of such a kind as to commend itself to every patriotic and practical man."
 Army Development To Secretary Garrison the President wrote,
 Il have been giving scarcely less thought than you yourself have to the question of adequate preparation for national defense, and l am axious ns ou hHoW, 10 incorporate In my next message to Congress a programme re- garding the development of equipment or the army and a proper training of our citizens to arms which, while In every way consistent with our traditions and our national policy, will be of such u character as to commend itself to every patriotic and practical mind
 T know that you have been much in conference with your professional as- sociates in the department and that you have yourself come to some very defl- nfte conclusions on these exceedingly important matters. 1 would be very much obliged if you would be kind enough to prepare for me a programme. with estimates. of what you and the best informed soldiers in your counsels think the country ought to undertake to do. 1 should like to discuss this programme with you at as early a tino as it can be made ready"
 The following telegram from John Hays Hammond. president of the Ma tional League of Republican clubs, was made public tonight by Secretary Gai- rison
 Regardless of politics the people are behind you in the important work you arc so ably doing for our national de- fcnse. Any suspicion as to your integ- rlty of purpose is entertained only b. shallow minds and by contemptible pel- iticians whose wish is father to the thoughts It will prove to be political suicide to so-called leaders of the re- publican party if they do not cordially cooperate with the administration in the matter of national defense"