Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-01-16
FATAL DEFICIENCIES
IN COUNTRY'S DEFENSE
Senator Lodge Sees i'm This Nation
Standing Invitation to Ag-
grcssion and Attack.
BLANIEs IT on CONGRESS
Advises That Needless Expenditures
BE Discontinued and Money Thus
Saved Used i'm Preparing United
States to Arm Itself Properly.

WASHINGTON, January I5-Urging
upon the Senate the need for n COM
,r.sainls fe3ort 6if AiiiiT.t.iS 3: e
paredncss or for Il permanent council
Of defense. Senator Lodge declared to-
day that the American system of de-
fcnse lis not only imperfect and un-
balanced but that it has grave and in
some instances fatal deficiencies" lie
designated what he termed many of the
detects, ana said they We're almost
wholly due TO Congress"
An adequate national defense. the
Senator said. could he obtained without
additional expenditure. cut off our
needless army posts. navy-yards and
stations he advised tho Senate. Lay
aside for few years appropriations
for public buildings and river and har-
Dor improvements where they are not
needed. Drop all expenditures which
are designed for spots where votes are
lying thickest. and YOU will have money
enough 10 provide for a sufficient army
ana an adequate navy without adding
to the burden of taXation"
STEAM AND ELECTRICITY
DESTROY OCEAN BARRIER
lie declared the ocean barrier tb,,
defended the country in 1876 and 1872
electricity. Unarmed, unready and un-
defended, the nation stands an invita-
ton to aggression and attack, he con-
tended.
Senator Lodge asserted that not ONLY
the regular army but the militia. was
highly defective, adding that the
lahama Canal was ''miserably and most
inadcquately protected" against being
blown up and blocked for months by
hostile agents.
senator Lodge declared the army was
without sufficient artillery and artil-
terry ammunition. and said available
testimony showed that guns in the for
tihcations were of shorter range than
those carried by foreign warships OF
the latest design.
Senator Lodge stated there was an
parcntly sufficient number of mines
for harbor defense. but that there was
shortage of cable and mine planters
OBVIOUS WEAKNESS
Is IN SUBMARINES
AS to the navy, Senator Lodge said
more destroycrs We're needed, but the
most obvious weakness was i'm sub
marines. The worst deficiency he con
tinued. was In scout cruisers. the United
states having only three, compared
with seventy-four in England; forty
one in Germany, and thirteen in .Iapan.
The European war. he said, had dem
onstratcd the value Of aircraft. We, the
army had only thirteen acroplanes and
no Ieppelins or dirigiblc airships. and
no armored aeroplanes and no guns
suitable for aeroplancs. The navy has
twelve aeroplancs.
Senator Lodge stated he had been in
formed that tie appropriation for naval
aircrait had not been expended, the
delay being due, among other things.
TO failure of the American manufac-
turers TO furnish aeroplanes He as
serted the explanations given were no
defense of the conditions. 1T is quite
possible ne concluded, that the war
ring European nations have not got
the pest conceivable type of aeroplanes.
but they have large numbers Of them.
which are formidable and effective, and
which seem to answer every burmese"