Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-10-13
SAYS
CONGRESSMAN TO
N Rochester MEN
Continued From FIrst Page.

continued FROM flIbl rage.
and Florida and the Atlantic and
Mississippi river. there are stationed
only three batteries of field artillery
or twelve guns; the rest Of our field
artillery within the United States is
occupied on the Mexican border in
time of peace. When We recall that
field artillery guns are being destroy
ed and captured in Europe by the
hundreds. it should bring home to us
with great force our weakness in this
essential branch of the army.
"The oceans which border the coast
lines of our country on the East and
West in former times were consid-
cred protection, today they are
one of our most vulnerable points.
The United States has one of the
longest and most extensive coast lines
Of any first-class power, which makes
II necessary for us to have a sufii-
Client navy TO protect these coast lines.
There is no nation today with whom
we are likely to have trouble but
that has a merchant marine capable
OF supplying the ships to transport
with speed and in numbers an army
larger than we could meet with hope
Of initial success.
.sThe army and navy Of the United
States is intended for defensive pur-
poses. because this is not nation
givea to aggression o. conquest. We
maN therefore consider the army and
navy as our national insurance
policies. and the annual expenditures
authorized by Congress as the pre-
MUM which the people of this coun-
try pay toward the upkeep and main
tenance Of these two insurance
policies. In round numbers this
country spends over two hundred mil
lion dollars annually upon the army
and navy, and it has long been ar
open secret that we do not get oul
moneys worth. When we see the
little republic Of Switzerland spend
ing less in ten years than we spend il
one year upon our army, yet havinl
a strong mobile force Of almost lou
hundred thousand men, which, by tn
way, they are using today to enforce
their neutrality, it is very eviden
that something is wrong.
1T was the intention Of the foun
ders Of this republic to keep the arm,
out of politics and in this they hav
met with success in the succeedin
generations, but unfortunately the
did not devise means 10 keep polite
out of the army / speak frankl
when | say that no corporation or in
dividual would permit their bushes
to be run in the manner in whic
the people Of this country permit o
cause their army to be maintained
No one party is responsible for thi
.Nanan HuN. - 49, I.nnH D.
blame rests squarely upon the peopl
of the country who, through thei
representatives at Washington. in tn
Congress. permit things to go on a
they have in the past. Our system {
government is so arranged that III
administration Of the army. althoug
in the hands of efficient officers an
an efficient general staff, is real
dependent upon what action Congress
decides upon either individually {
collectively.
THE question of our preparedness
for defence should not be approache
with the hysteria that often accom-
panies a national issue which is clos
ly related to the patriotic pulse Of Il
country. There is, without doubt,
strong sentiment today in this coul
try calling for not only an adequa
but sane increase in our army an
navy. but there is likewise a d5mar
for a change in the system and pra
tees under which the annual expend
lures for both departments are mad
II is only logical that the officers
both branches Of the service. wi
have made the army and navy the
life work. should know more abo
the practical needs Of the army al
navy than the average man who
sent to Washington TO represent h
district or state. This change cou
easily be brought about without Il
peoples representatives yielding al
OF their constitutional perOgatives
members Of Congress"