Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-09-18
SENATOR cUMMINS SAYS WAR
READINESS is BIG QUESTION
FOR CONGRESS.
ELABoRATEs ON PLAN
FOR FEDERAL MlLi1IAMEN
Proposes Law to Establish Military
Posts Throughout Country-Senator
Favors Federal Aid For Better Hish-'
ways as Certain to come-visitins
Friends in Clinton.

| NiHtou, sept. 10 udt preparedness
would be the dominant problem to face
congress at its coming session and
would occupy its chief attention, was
the statement of Senator Albert B.
Cummins yesterday. Mr.. Cummins.
who is a guest of G. NJ. Curtis. talked
freely on national preparedness, the
| Mexican situation and good roads, but
was silent on politics.
+, A national reserve, probably in the
! form of a federal militia, is in his
opinion the best solution of the prob
lem of preparedness. That some plan
Will be evolved at the coming session
he says is certain. He himself will
! introduce a bill providing for the es-
Enlistment turnout the country, at
military posts, of schools, similar to
West Point, providing for the training
| of an adequate supply of officers.
The Mexican question is looked upon
by Senator Cummins with little
optimism. There is nothing we can
factions become exhausted or a leader
arises who can set up a government
that will establish and maintain order.
The only other alternative we have is
to occupy the country ourselves. We
do not want to occupy it. 1t would
mean putting in 100000 to 100000 men
to police the country. We do not care
to do that"
He declared that IN his opinion this
country should have recognized
Huerta, or even before that should
have given assistance to Madero.
Outlines Road Plan.
Mr.. Cummins outlined his attitude
on the good roads questions and the
part the federal government should
play. It was plan that republicans
in the senate had already agreed on
tentatively. he said. It was in sub
stance. he said, the division Of moneys
among states on per cent basis. that
basis to be esta blished from four fac
tors namely, population. area. total
road mileage in the state and value
OF assessed property. The states would
give the federal government ifty-year
bonds covering the amount Of money
secured. the bonds to bear 4 per cent
interest. The government would issue
per cent bonds to raise this money,
the difference in interest caring for the
bonds in a little over forty seven years.
This plan. however. must wait until
the European conflict is over or the
end is in sight. With conditions so I'M
settled such projects must wait.
Favo-s Reasonable Preparation"
On the topic of national prepared
ness Senator Cummins explained that
he was emphatically in favor OF "rea-
sonabIe preparedness" An increase in
our standing army. but OF no large ex-
tent, was one of the measures that
would undoubtedly be passed. he be-
leved The real solution, in his opin-
ion. lay in the creation of an adequate
reserve.
He does rot favor the Swiss plan
Of compulsory service similar to our
national guard service. He does not
believe the national guard itself is the
solution, because of constitutional bars.
A federal militia. voluntary as is the
national guard now, is his opinion as
TO the best means of providing such
reserve.
would the national guard be con-
tinueI in such a Program he was
asked.
Hardly If the federal government
decided to maintain its own militia it
Sc hardly probable that they would
continue to support the state guards.
The states themselves could maintain
their guards. but il is not probable that
they would
Would Establish Schools.
He said he proposed introducing
bill providing for the establishment Of
military schools turnout the country
to be located at military posts. Admis-
sion to these schools would be as 1t Is
TO West Point now. by appointment.
1r-I Il
would provide such training as man
in civil life would need. The graduates
would not enter the army, but would
go into civil lie AMI hold Themselves
subject to call should the occasion
arise and would also act as officers
in the reserve army or federal militia,
should such a system be established.