The Washington herald., 1915-10-14
DEFENSE SCHEME
DIVIDES LEADERS
Wilson Seeks to Reconcile
Views of Senate and House
Members.
ARMY ESTIMATE FOUGHT
Economical Solon, Object to Addition
of 5000 Men-President
to See Hay.
ARMY ESTIMATE FOUGHT

President Wilson, according to high
Washington official, is now in agreement
with Secretary Of War Garrison on the
main features of the Secretary's plan for
the reorganization of the army.
This plan provides for the creation Of
a reserve, increases in the regular army
and in the militia improvements in the
coast artillery defenses and in the guam
titles of reserve ammunition and equip
ment.
Intimations that some of the House
and Senate leaders are not satisfied with
the program OF national defense con-
templated by the administration, have
caused the President and his chief aids
to engage in an active campaign to en-
list their support.
1t became known yesterday that the
President has had in his possession since
the last part of August the complete
report of Secretary of War Garrison on
the needs of the army. For some time.
also, he has had the plan of the gen.
eral naval board, of which Admiral
Dewey is president, for the improvement
Of the navy. The President has dis
cussed these plans with Chairman Pad
gett, of the House Naval Affairs Com
mittee; Senator Tillman, chairman of the
Senate Naval Affairs Committee. and
with some of the other leaders of both
houses. The views of Chairman Hay.
Of the House Military Affairs Commit
tee, have been obtained indirectly. To-
day the President will hold a personal
conference with Mr.. Hay.
The chairmen of the important COM
mittees have agreed, in general. with the
idea that the Democratic platform calls
for measures for adequate Defense"
but none of them has so far agreed to
any of the specific recommendations
now under consideration by the Presi-
dent 1t can be stated that some of the
leaders in Congress are for greater pre-
paredness than the administration con-
templates, and some are for less. The
problem now before the President ap-
pears to be to reconcile their views.
Urgent Need of Dreadnought..
1t is recognized generally that the i'm
mediate need for the increase of the
navy's Dreadnoughts so that 1t will be
possible to maintain permanently a suf-
ficient fleet on the Pacific as we'll as the
| Atlantic coast. Secretary Daniels con-
ferred last night with his advisory coun-
Gil. He announced that his idea is that
"a number of battleships should be
authorized each year for the next five
years. Representative Padgett 1t is un.
derstood. also wants "a number" of bat
| tleships. but would have them distribut-
ed over a construction period of about
| ten years. 1t Is not known how the other
members Of the committee stand on the
subject.
Some interesting figures were obtained
yesterday. which show:
First-That the United States has now
built and building" only seventeen
Dreadnoughts.
| Second-That on July l. 1914, Germany
| had twenty Dreadnoughts "blilt and
| building"
| Third--That II Secretary Of the Navy
| Daniels program of four superdread-
noughts for this year is adopted, they
could not be built and in commission un-
til 1880.
Fourth-That in 1880 the United
States would have actually in commis-
sion only twenty-one battleships of the
first class, as against the twenty battle.
ships Of the first class which Germany
had built and building" nearly eighteen
| months ago.
h 1t was said yesterday that opposi-
tion has already developed among the
extremely economical members Of
Congress to the $4,000 men suggested
by Secretary Garrison as the least
possible addition to the standing army,
Secretary Garrison's plan for tmme-
diate addition to the army is for ten
| Iteehhehts oI Iniahtry, HVe new regi-
ments Of field artillery and thirty
two companies of coast artillery. He
also recommends the fortifcation Of
Chesapeake Bay, to which Congress
10 already committed. Mr. Garrison.s
idea is for the creation also of a
reserve Of about 275,ooo men, inde-
pendent Of the State troops, the re-
serve to be called . Federal Militia. {"
1t 10 reported that Chairman HAY
In his talk with the President viii
take ground against an Increase of
the regular establishment but win
agree to liberal appropriations for
land other coast defeussa