Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-09-18
PRESIDENT AGAINST
COMPULSORY DEFENCE
He is is Conflict With the War De-
partment Officials.
OPPOSES A LARGE INCREASE.
President Asks Secretary Garrison 70
Revise the Plans.

RreSldent wilson is Salu TO nave IN
,imated to the War Department officials
that he will not approve any plan for
compulsory military education or SER
vice which may be suggested by them
in their recommendations for the re-
organization of the army.
The President has frowned on the
efforts of the General Staff to convince
him and he has suggested material
notifications in the plans for an in
crease in the army as formulated by
Secretary Garrison, of the War College.
Word has gone out from the War
Department that it is not wise to specu-
late on the reorganization scheme.
The President does not want the coun-
try to believe that there has been any
material conflict in opinion between
him and the military experts, although
he has determined not to go to the
length that the desire to bring the
army up to what they conceive to be
an efficient defensive standard.
The President is still opposed gen.
orally to a large increase in the de-
fensive program, although he real
ises that the country is demanding an
increase. The Administration is now
attempting to feel out the country in
an effort to see just what il will be
satisfied with
Secretary Garrison and the War Col
lege experts have agreed on a plan to
increase the strength of the regular
army to 100000, to provide for a re-
serve of an equal size made up of for
mer regular soldiers, and to increase
the invaluable State militia forces to
$4,000 through the granting of addi-
tional Federal aid
This plan calls for a considerable
increase in the appropriations for the
army. To avoid such an increase, the
son army. To avoid such an increase
the President has asked Secretary Gar
rison to revise the plan. AS matters
now stand, the War Department is said
to be entirely up in the air on the
proposition.
Up to several days ago ocers on the
General Staff were enthusiastic about
the prospect of getting some sort of
executive encouragement for compul-
officers hardly dare admit their own
opinions in that regard.
Opponents of the Administration are
following the Presidents course with
great interest. 1t is said that Pres
ident Wilson does not want to go be-
fore the country to ask for a bond is
sue or to defend policy which might
a 10 in n1nf af
ing of the national campaign next year.
The general fund balance of the
Treasury is decreasing daily. 1t has
been pointed out by fnanciers that the
United States, unless il enacts new
taxation measures must certainly go
to the country with q request for a
loan in the near future or else sell the
Panama Canal bonds that are now in
the Treasury
Under present financial conditions
the United States would have to enter
the market as a bidder for credit in
competition with the belligerents, it
was pointed out The Presidents
friends admit that he abhors such an
idea. They also admit that he is at
tempting to eliminate such a possibil-
ity through forced economies, where
ever it is possible
Mr.. Wilson will soon begin his prep
aration for the fight expected on the
national defense program at the next
session of Congress September %.
when he will confer with Chairman
Padgett, of the House Committee on
Naval Affairs.
1t is expected that by that time the
President will have received from the
Secretary of the Navy fairly definite
statement of the General Boards views
regarding the building program and
that he will be ready to discuss with
Mr.. Padgett ways and means for get
ting the Administrations programme
adopted with the least friction.
The President had a brief conference
with Secretary Daniels yesterday re-
garding the problem of national de-
fense. No disclosure of the Presidents
views was obtainable, however. There
seem good reasons for the expectation
that the programme TO be presented to
Congress by the President will not
overlook the fundamental importance
of hte battleship in modern naval war
fare for the sake of a spectacular sub
marine programme
Persons who are regarded as famil-
lar in general way with the purposes
in the Presidents mind are confident
that there will be no sacrifice of bat
tleships, the number the President is
expected to recommend being four.