The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-08-21
Without Large Number Ma
tional Defense Movement
Seems Absurd
VARIOUS POINTS ON
SHORES UNPROTECTED
With SEQ Under-sea Craft United States
Could Defy World, Experts Say-Ap-
peal to Be Made to President for
Recommendation.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21.-'' Without
a greatly increased number of subma-
rincs for our navy the present move
ment for military preparedness in this
country viii appear to the other nations
of the world as ineffective and absurd, =
according to a statement today of the
National Defense league.
This, in brief, is the substance of the
information which will be given Presi-
dent Wilson within the next few DAYS Il
in connection with his effort to ascer- \
tain all things needed TO put this coun-
| try in state of better preparedness for
war. Primarily, the demand for a big /
| increase in submarines comes from the /
navy officers and naval experts, but it /
| is significant that this request is back |
| ed up by army officers of high rank. |
| Particularly among the coast artillery
and the coast fertilization experts is
there a strong demand for submarines.
The explanation of this lies in the
fact that there are at various points
on the shores of the United States por-
tions o. the sea which can he protected
only by submarines. This is because
Notifications are not built so that the
guns may sweep these waters, and the
currents are so swift and ungovernable
/ that mines can not be placed in them
with any hope of definite results.
There has come about, therefore, the
4 unusual spectacle of a group of army
= officers Joining navy officers in the de-
D mand for better submarine protection.
1 That this viii have a profound effect
: on the President in the preparation of
l.. his recommendation to Congress in be-
d half of greater preparedness is accept
/ ed as certain in Washington.
A big American submarine building
q company, according to reports received
10 here, is operating in Canada so sue
! cessfully that as soon as the submarines
= are completed for the allies they arc
put into the water and sent across the
Atlantic under their own power Will
full war equipment and ready to meet
the enemy. The building in Canada
which is devoted to assembling boat
of the Holland type, IS made necessary
~ because of the international law agains
y building them in the United States am
m then sending them to the allies.
- a submarine costs about half a mil
at lion dollars. Three hundred submarine
flying the Stars and Stripes would eos
m less than week of actual war, the aU
ny thorities estimate, and since a subma
es- rine can destroy any battleship tina
uO3tS, lOIllia OF 0ou OF Tue uhuCL-SC
* craft would be an unfailing insuranc
I'M against invasion by q foreign foe q
any time.
tn The President will be told that no.
on is the time to engage the talent an
m resources of The American submarin
,lv companies so that not all of their on
n put can be sent to foreign countries.
~, The National Defense league, while
a. will hold a great conference on nj
tional defense in Washington, Oct. A.
Immediately following the Grand Arm
;. of the Republic cncampment, has i
at wears persistcntly advocated large a
lay preparations FOR submarines. Some
ice the officers of the league declare TN
'et, the United States should have not lie
ar than 300 of the under-sea boats.
ing ''With 300 modern submarines Il
SER United States could defy the world
successfully land troops on Amerle'
soil .
This statement was made recently
Lieut. c. r. Morrison, chief AIDE
ion the staff Of Rear Admiral Grant, CO.
YER mander Of the Atlantic submarine !
law tilIa and considered the most forcmo
of expert on under-sca craft.
use t'There is not foreign naton'
our even a combination of nations, tn
the could, successfully land sufficient troo
on American soil to combat even @
try present army declared LIcutena
pro Morrison.
/. Excursion to Newport, r. l., Aug
90. See Ad. on page 6.