The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-18

TfLI4MAN FIRES ON BRYAN AND
ROOSEVELT.
Urges Preparedness by Nation and
Calls for Campaign Against Armor
Plate Monopoly.

sesoed ana theodore Roosevelt as |
the giant in Mother Goose" Chair
man Tillman OF the naval committee |
addressed the senate today on ma
tional defense and assailed what he
characterized as the greed of private
manufacturers OF war materials.
Senator Tillman upheld Secretary
Daniels administration OF the navy
department.
The question of preparedness re-
qulres grave consideration and
prompt action" said Senator Tillman.
There are all sorts OF opinions and
advices from all quarters-good, bad
and not only unwise but unthinkable
OF adoption except by wild men from
Rorneo.
Mr.. Bryan. the evangel Of peace at
any price. is bitterly opposed to any
and all increase. He seems to be
amply obsessed on this subject and
has lost his usual poise. Ex-Presi-
dent Roosevelt. on the other hand,
who snorts and roars like veritable
Bull Of Bashan. poses as the god or
war and clamors for a very large
standing army and great reserves
He reminds one of the giant in
Mother Goose:'
"Fe. n. 70, FUN,
smell the blood of a German
man;
Be he alive. or be he dead,
IN grind his bones to make my
bread"
The South Carolina senator said he
realized the necessity for a greater
army. but that the navy, "our first
hne OF Defense" should come first.
II favor such navy as will make
our country second to none on the
water except England" said the SEN
ator. "It stands to reason that the
stronger and more efficient navy we
have. the less need there will be for
a great enlargement OF the army; for
as our country is not likely to enter
into war Of aggression anywhere or
under any provocation. and only
seeks to defend itself and maintain
the new Monroe doctrine as enunciat-
cd by President Wilson, II no enemy
can land on our shores we would not
need an army to defend them, but
could depend upon volunteers and
the National Guard in an emergency.
But as / see IL no emergency can pos
sioiy arise IL We have an adequate
navy.
such a navy Is an imperative ne
cessity. not only to national life and
honor now. but to maintain the newer
and nobler Monroe doctrine-'Amer-
lea for Americans
One question which should be set
tied speedily. he asserted, was con-
struction of a government armor
plant.
The country ought to regard as a
public enemy any senator OF. member
or congress who tries to delay or
continued. ANY delay in beginning
work would be criminal unless q
continuance OF the Republican pro-
gramme heretofore followed OF hay-
Ing the treasury robbed right along
Ia to so on. I can not believe there
are any such Republicans here.
L..
grasp Of an armor trust, as 1t has
been these 20 years. Tho construc-
ton OF an armor plant built and
owned by the government Is the only
protection against the robbers to
which the government has been COM
pelled to submit for 20 years.
Il came into the senate In Decem-
Der. 1896. and was assigned to the
naval committee at my request, and
i have served on II ever since. Il
speak advisedly when 1 say that all
these years the United States gov
eminent has been robbed unmerci-
fully by the armor makers.
I'VE have an armor trust Just as
We have had all along and 1t is doing
business at the same old stands,
Bethlehem. Carnegie. Midvale.
The war in Europe and the enor-
nous profits made I'm the manurac-
ture OF munitions Of war has brought
about the absorption of the Midvale
company by the Bethlehem company.
i hear. and Mr.. Schwab. who was
Carnesie's foreman when the first
fraud was exposed by the house COM
mittee In 1904. is now president and
largely owns the Bethlehem Steel
company"