The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-08-27
TO PROTECT AMERICA
Ernest D. Barber Wants More Sub
marines

Editor of The Banner:The sub
ject of increased armaments has
been under discussion so much Of
late, that | venture to fer suggest
ion
From an offhand knowledge of the
situation the solution of the whole
problem seems to me very simple.
If we built an increase of large
number of submarines and torpedo
boat destroyers it seems to me that
it would answer every purpose for
which we could desire an increased
armament In fact it seems to me,
that this is the only plan that will
meet our needs.
If we as a nation, or our own dom
inant party, contemplate foreign war,
in the way of our taking aggressive
military action, why then we surely
need a larger navy, army and militia.
| am not discussing what our rights
or wrongs might be, nor the merits
or demerits of any situation from
which a possible war might arise
with MS, but as to whether, in any
case we would take aggressive mill
tary action or merely defend our
selves and our rights.
TO merely defend our rights on
the high seas, our navy with its nor
NAL annual increase is large enough,
il we added submarines and torpe-
do boat destroyers. 10 merely de-
fend our rights on foreign soil our
present army demonstrated it's eni-
cheney at Vera Cruz TO defend our
rights upon the high seas we espec-
tally need submarines and torpedo
boat destroyers. This is self-eyi-
dent. With large fleets of these our
interests on the high seas and in
foreign ports would be amply pro-
tected
The immense and superior utlit-
les OF submarines and torpedo boat
destroyers has been placed outside
the field of debate.
TO defend our shores a large feet
Of submarine and torpedo boat de-
stroyers is absolutely required
One submarine is more effective
for defensive purposes than battle
ship and almost equivalent to bat
tleship for purposes of offensive war
fare To defend our thousands of
miles OF sea coast against foreign
fleet, with its advantage of striking
unexpectedly in 4 spUt that we many
times could not forsee, would re-
quire tremendous fleet OF battle
ships strung in squadrong over our
whole coast. In fact, an almost con
tinuous line of them We would
need navy three or four times big
ger than the biggest in the world.
AS / understand t, battleship
costs from $10.000000 to $2O,000000
while a submarine costs 100000, in
other words we could build 200 sub.
marines to one battleship and with
submarines strung along our coasts
a foreign fleet would find it unpleas-
ant trying to invade us.
AS to our army and militia, for
mere defensive purposes it is sul-
cient in numbers Whether suilic-
lent in organization, equipment,
stanard of efficiency, morale, etc, is
for military experts to decide. There
is no country that would be able to
land a large force on us or any force
for that matter, if VIC we're well de-
Tended with submarines and torpedo
boat destroyers.
But even If they did, force OF
100000 or 10000 is about the limit
any country or any group OF countries
that are acting togethe' could sue
cessfuly ship ara land dpon us in
one single campaign of invasion.
Their shipping facilities alone would
limit them to about this number. Such
force in number at least, we should
be able to meet easily, since one
man for defensive warfare is equal
to three on the offensive. And with
10000 regulars or thereabouts, and
approximately 100000 of militia,
enough could be mustered quickly, in
any quarter to meet our need.
If attacked by England, the only
powerful country whose territory
touches ours, we should be deeply in
her territory long before she could
invade us
am basing my foregoing supposi-
tions upon situation that would
exist il all the rest of the world was
at peace To suppose an invasion
under present circumstances is ridic-
ulouG.
But suppose the impossible hap
pened, that Germany should overrun
Russia, smash through the western
war arena and take France and Eng
land, and should then send her
hordcs and millions upon us.
The size of an increased military
armament as presented by its most
extravagant advocates would be a
mere plaything with which to meet,
such situation. Such force of
ours would be crushed like an egg
shell.
Why then, If in case we are to in
crease our military strength, we
are not to increase it sufficiently, so
that it would meet the only situa-
tion for which we would need an in
crease do we increase it at all?