Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-12-10
Wilson's Plans To Adequate
Defense.

desk of the House of Representatives
President Woodrow Wilson on Tuesday
last delivered in person to joint session
of Congress, and through it to the people
of the United States. the most remarkable
message in the recent history Of the United
States.
The ARMY.
Supplementing the army by force of
100000 disciplined citizens" raised in
installments of 1873 900 year for three
years, each to have short periods of train
ing not over two months year.
The plan is to raise the regular army to
a strength of 7,136 officers and 134.707
enlisted men, or 141.843 all told. all ser
vices. rank and file, by the addition of So
companies Of coast artillery, is companies
Of engineers. 10 regiments of infantry, a
regiments of field artillery and 4 aero
squadrons, besides $50 officers required
for great variety Of extra service, espe-
cially the all-important duty Of training
the citizen force, 1872 non-commissioned
officers for service in drill, recruiting and
the like, and the necessary quota of en-
listed men for the Quartermaster Corps,
Hospital Corps. the Ordnance Department
and other similar auxiliary services. These
are the additions necessary to render the
army adequate for its present duties, duties
which it has to perform not only upon our
own continental coast and borders and at
our interior army posts, but also in the
Philippines, in the Hawaiian Islands. at
the Isthmus and in Porto Rico.
The NAVY.
Construction within five years Of 10 bat
tleships, 6 battle cruisers. 10 scout cruisers,
so destroyers, is feet submarines IS coast
submarines. A eunboats hospital ship.
ammunition ships, 2 fuel oil ships and
repair ship.
The immediate addition of $500 sailors,
$500 apprentice seamen and 1900 ma
rines.
The result in 1921. by this plan. would
give the United States 81 battleships of
the first line. 8 battle cruisers, rs battle
ships Of the second line, 10 armored cruis-
ers. IS scout cruisers, first-class cruisers,
second-class cruisers. 10 third-class cruis-
ers. 1903 destroyers. IS feet submarines. 1877
coast submarines, 6 monitors. 20 gunboats,
A supply ships, is fuel ships. a transports.
8 tenders to torpedo vessels. vessels Of
special types and ammunition ships.
How To PAY For THIS.
THE additional revenues required to
carry out the program of military and naval
preparation in the fiscal year 1917, as at
present estimated, would be $93.800,000.
by somewhat lowering the present limits
of exemption (of the income taxi and in
creasine step by step the surtax itself, the
income taxes as at present apportioned
would yield sums sufficient to balance the
books Of the Treasury"
There are many additional sources of
revenue which can justly be resorted to
without hamperine the industries of the
country or putting too great charge upon
individual expenditure.
"A tax Of one cent per gallon on gasoline
and naphtha would yield, at the present
estimated production, $l0000,000.
"A tax Of so cents per horsepower on
automobiles. $l5.0O0,000; stamp tax
on bank checks, probably $lS,0O0,00O; a
tax of rs cents a ton on pig iron. $l0.-
100000; a tax Of rs cents ton on fab
ricated iron and steel, probably $i0.000.-
900.
What is clear is. that the industry of
this generation should pay the bills of this
generation"
MARsHALING Our RESOURCES.
"A matter which 1t seems to me we
should have very much to heart is the
creation of ghtinstrumentalties by which
to mobilize our economic resources in any
time of necessity. take it for granted
that do not need your authority to call
into systematic consultation with the di-
recting officers Of the army and navy men
of recognized leadership and ability.
only hope that If should find it feasible
to constitute such an advisory body the
Congress would be willing to vote the
small sum of money needed to defray ex-
penses."
On RAILROADS.
II SUGGEST that il would be wise to pro-
vide for a commission Of inquiry to ascer-
tain by a thorough canvass whether our
laws are as serviceable as they might be. '
Has No THOUGHT Or IMMEDIATE DANGER.
Il have spoken to you today. gentlemen
upon a single theme, the thorough prepare.
ton of the nation to care for its own secu-
rity and to make sure of entire freedom
to play the impartial role in this hemis.
phere and in the world which we all believe
to have been providentially assigned to it
have had in my mind no thought Of any
immediate or particular danger arising oui
of our relations with other nations. We
are at peace with all nations Of the world
and there is reason to hope that no ques-
ton in controversy between this and Other
governments will lead to any serious breach
of amicable relations, grave as some diff.
ferences Of attitude and policy have been
and may yet turn out to be. lam sorryto say
that the gravest threats against our ma
tional peace and safety have been uttered
within our own borders. There are citi-
zens Of the United States. blush to admit
born under other flags, but welcomed under
our generous naturalization laws to the
full freedom and opportunity Of America,
who have poured the poison Of disloyalty
into the very arteries of our national life
who have sought to bring the authority
and good name Of our Government into
contempt. to destroy our industries wher-
ever they thought il effective for their
vindictive purposes to strike at them, and
to debase our politics to the uses of foreign
intrigue. Their number is not great as