Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-09-02
WILSON TO FIGHT
FOR BIGGER NAVY
President Plans to Overcome OPP
position of Kern and and
Kitchin.
FEELS PUBLIC DEMAND.
Chief Executive, However, Does Not
Contemplate Expenditure Of
$500. .OOO. 900 As Reported.

Warned by the expressed opposition
of Democratic Leader Kern. of the SEN
ate. during his talk with the President
yesterday, and by an interview given
out by Representative Claude Kitchin,
who will be floor leader in the next
House. President Wilson is laying his
plans to overcome them and to put
through Congress his program for an
increase in the military establishment
and very substantial expansion of the
American navy.
II was stated on authority close TO
the President, however, that the Ad-
ministration had no idea of recon-
mending TO Congress such an unneces-
sary sum as $500, 100000 for increased
national defense ard plans of prepar-
edness to that end.
This authority said that unauthor-
lied statements TO the effect that the
President favored a demand on Con-
gress of half billion and had scared
several important men, who believe
that there must be very considerable
increase in the navy and adequate
plans" for creating a great army for
any emergency.
Developing this idea, one of the Off
cials of the War Department saidthat it
ought to be evident that the greater
share of the expenditure should go to
The Navy Department, as the fleet was
the instrument both for offense and de
fense. The plans for the army did not
| he said, contemplate an expensive in
crease of the standing army by such
numbers as would involve an attack on
teh Treasury of $3.50, 100000 or any
thing like il.
The increase absolutely necessary
for the army would be in line of coast
artillerymen and field artillery of all
types II could be stated, he said, that
the alarming figures were not based on
anything the President would agree to
or that the War Department would
suggest.
The high authority who discussed
the question yesterday said there
would be a large additional expendi-
ture which might be called an emer-
gency expenditure by the Navy Depart
ment. He indicated that neither the
President nor the Secretary of War fa-
vored any notable increase in the
standing army 1t should be remem-
bered, he said, that il the navy to which
the people look for thep rejection of
teh vast coast line of the United States
! and the outlying possessions.
He made the point that the outlying
| possessions especially could not be
protected by ships other than those of
the very first class. For this reason,
he said, there was an almost universal
opinion at the White House, the State
Department, the Navy Department and
teh War Department on a sane but at
! the same time very large naval con
struction program.
The President has not yet passed on
! the estimates of the Navy Department.
| 1t is limited that while he realizes the
| ground-swell demand for emergency
numbers of battleships and cruisers
submarines and air fleets. he had to
take the revenues into account. For
this reason, after his conference with
| Senators Tillman and Chamberlin and
Representative Padgett and Hay rep
resnting the Military and Naval com
mittees of Congress, he will consuli
with the Secretary of the Treasury.
More than one cabinet officer has ad-
mitted that it would be impossible foI
Congress, even if it so desired to stem
teh tide of demand for an increase in
the navy in all its branches