Evening journal., 1915-10-28

lines of any nation in the world,
and they are studded with a great
number of harbors around which n
coast Notifications must be erected
for defensive and strategic purposes
The coast artillery corps of our army
cannot be recruited to full war
strength, should trouble come in a
short time. because raw recruits can
not be trained 10 become efficient
artillerymon in the same time that
the same recruit could be trained for
the infantry. for instance. In other
words, the coast artillery corps is 4
so undermanned that a serious situ- I
alton is presented and one that the /
people of this country should have /
brought home to them without the :
mincing of any words.
"In the country today there is un-
doubtedly a strong sentiment calling
for a better state OF preparedness in /
our army and navy. The same facts /
have been before the people OF the |
country for years past, but il has
taken the example created by the
great Eurouean conflict to arouse us
to our senses. If this nation in the
/ future is TO occupy the place that it
should among the nations of the globe.
/ il is absolutely necessary for us 10
| be better prepared than we are today,
not necessarily for war but for the
enforcement of peace. If quarrel
some nation knows that we are un-
prepared to defend ourselves she will
not hesitate to act in such a manner
as to force our hand in whatever in
ternational affair that might be pend
ing. This would mean in our pres
ent state of unpreparedness that we
would either have to back down or
enter into a war totally unprepared
"At the coming session of Congress
legislation will undoubtedly be pre-
sented providing for an increase in
the expenditures upon both the army
and the navy. Through their repre-
sentatives at Washington. the people
of the United States are largely re-
sponsible for the system under which
the annual expenditures for the army
and navy have been made and for the
practice which has grown up Of dis
regarding the recommendation of the
officers in the War Department, and
the Navy Department. Those Off
GERS. and particularly the general
board Of the navy and the general
staff Of the army know more about
the needs Of their respective services
than do members of Congress or 9TH
er civil officers OF the government It
is to be hoped. therefore. that their
voice will be listened to in the event
of increased expenditures being made
because as such matters are now
: handled it would be far better to
learn how to spend the money before
we increase the amount If the same
practices and systems are to be fol-
lowed"
Congressman Moore on Defense.
Congressman j. Hampton Moore, Of
Philadelphia. discussing INLAND Wa
! terways and Coast Defense" said:
/. "A member of Congress need not
necessarily be a jingo because he talks
about our national defense. Any busi-
ness man who will take enough time
q from his counting house to inspect the
Atlantic seaboard or the Pacific coas
(, will readily understand why prope
4 equipment of our harbors and inlan
= waterways for commerce or for de
4 fense is not extravaganza, either il
= the matter of money or enthusiasm
II but is unquestionably In the line o
T. common sense We need good har
!. bors on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
l. on the gulf and on the Great Lakes
e because they are essential to our com
merce which means the product O
s the farm as well as of the factory
n while they also afford the medium b.
= which at least one-third of the reve
It nue. Of the government is obtained. A
o the present time there is much jubila
= ton amongst waterways men alOn:
Q the Mississippi Valley over the deSi
j. sion Of the State of Illinois to con
= meet up the Great Lakes with the low
[ er Mississippi river through the Hi
S nois river. II is an old project anC
J. well worth the expenditure. since the
missing link in Illinois will make i
IS possible if the Federal Government
y ever awakens to the Importance of II
q to connect up in one continuous chair
y the inland waterways OF the Atlanti
e coast with the gulf. the Great Lake
II and the Mississippi River. The ques
ton is: will the people OF the Middl
West so study their own necessitie
=; in time of peace that they will induc
~ their representatives in Congress {
y join witk the representatives Of IN
Coast States in providing such water
- will provide for common progress /
80 time Of peace and for common defens
a. lin times of war?
- - ANY casual observer will agre
- that we ought to be well fortified i
- the Hawaiian Islands. We have a
ts army there at the present time {
a. about 5000 men. We have certai
- Notifications but there is only on
~ harbor, that at Honolulu, where ma
20 val vessel or merchantmen can ru
- up into a dock
70 "And even at Honolulu the harbO
"a facilities are exceedingly meagre
- is said we might put the entire flee
,e into Pearl Harbor. when it is readl
- but dry dock and dredging and som
other problems considered-the ques
tion is-when will we be ready2
se an enemy should break through ou
s ldefenses at Hawaii, the Pacific ccas
e' might well begin TO take alarm. True
~ we have the navy yard at Bremerto
a. and certain defenses at San Francisc
60 and a good harbor at at San deg
~ but what of the hundreds of miles {
~, coast between?
~ cover on the Atlantic seaboal
Is where we have the bulk of the popul
'r, ton of the United States and most
nu the wealth Of the country, what shou
NV we say OF the seven-foot canal b
'cl tween Philadelphia and New Yor
ar which, in the event of a hostile
tack might become absolutely necs
m sary for strategic purposes: or # Z