Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-07


corns, ere orfnance department and
other similar AUXILIARY services. These
are the additions necessary TO render
the army adequate for its present du-
ties. duties which IL has 10 perform
not only upon CUR own continental
coasts and borders and at our interior
army posts, but also In the Philippines.
in the Hawaiian Islands. at the 18th
mus and in Porto Rico.
By way Of making the country ready
TO assert some part of its real power
promptly and upon a larger scale
should occasion arise the plan also
contemplates experimenting the army
bv force Of 20 @.so disciplined citi-
zens, raised IN inerements OF $4,000
year throughout period Of three
years. This 4 is proposed to do By
process of enlistment under which the
serviceabie men of the country would
be asked to bind themselves to serve
with the colors for purposes OF train
ing for short periods throughout three
years and to come to the eolors at call
at any time throughout an additional
"furIough' period of three years This
force Of 100000 men would be pro-
vided with personal accogterments as
fast as enlisted and their equipment
for the field made ready to be supplied
at any time. They would be assem-
bled for training at stated intervals at
convenient places in association with
suitable units Of the regular army.
Their period of annual trailing would
not necessarily exceed two months in
the year,
The president says il IS up to the
patriotic young men of the country to
respond to this CAL,
Yer Greater Navy
The program which will be laid be-
fore you by the secretary Of the navy
is similarly conceived. It involves only
a shortening of the time within which
plans long matured shall be carried
out, but it does make definite and ex-
piicit a program whics has heretofore
been only implicit. held in the minds of
the committees on naval affairs and
disclosed in the debates Of the two
houses, but nowhere formulated or for
mally adopted. 1t seems to me very
clear that it will be to the advantage
of the country for the congress to adopt
4 comprehensive plan for putting the
navy upon final footing Of strength
and efficiency and TO press that plan
TO completion within the next five
years. We have always looked to the
navy of the country as our first and
chief line of defense; we have always
seen it TO be our manifest course Of
prudence to be strong on the seas.
Year by year We have been creating a
navy which now ranks very high in
deed among the navies Of the maritime
nations. We should noY definitely de-
termine how we shall complete what
we have begun and how soon.
The program to be laid before you
contemplates the construction within
FIVE yeaes OF ten battleships. six battle
cruisers, ten scout cruisers. fifty de-
stroyers, fifteen fleet submarines.
eighty-five coast submarines, four gun
boats, one hospital ship two ammuni-
ton ships. two fuel oil ships and one
repair ship It is proposed that Of this
number we shall the first year provide
for the construction Of Two battieships,
two battle cruisers. three scout cruisers,
fifteen destroyers, five feet submarines
twenty-five coast submarines, two gun,
boats and one hospital ship; the second
year two battleships, one scout cruiser
ten destroyers, four feet submarines
fifteen coast submarines. one gunboat
and one fuel oil ship; the third year
two battleships, one battle cruiser, two
scout cruisers FIVE destroyers, two feet
submarines and fifteen coast subma.
rineS; the fourth year two battIeships
two battle cruisers, two scout cruisers
ten destroyers, two feer submarines
fifteen coast submarines. one ammuni
ton ship and one fuel oil ship. and
the fifth year two battleships. one bat
tie cruiser, two scout cruisers, ten de
stroyers, two feet submarines, fifteen
coast submarines, one gunboat, one am
munition ship and one repair ship.
The secretary az the navy is asking
also for the immediate addition TO the
personnel Of the navy Of 1900 sailors
y rfAb ar,,,un-ttan coo rn o-x a.s Ena -
rines. This increase would be suffi
cient to care for the ships which are
to be completed within the fiscal year
1917 and also for the number of men
which must be put in training to mar
the ships which will be completed
early in 1918. 1t is also necessary that
the number Of midshipmen at the Ma.
val academy at Annapolis should be
Increased by at least 300 in order that
the force of officers should be more
rapidly added to, and authority is ask
ed 10 appoint, for engineering duties
only. approved graduates Of engineer,
ing colleges, and ror service in the avi.
alton corps q certain number of men
taken from civil life.
II this full program should be carried
out we should have built or building IN
1921, according to the estimates Of sur
vival and standards Of classification
followed by the general board of the
department. an effective navy consist
ing OF y battlesosps of the first line. c
battle cruisers, 25 battleships Of sls
second line, 10 armored cruisers. Il
scout cruisers, first class cruisers :
second class cruisers, 10 third class
cruisers, los destroyers. IS feet sub