The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-15

tories under control of the government
going at full speed until congress con-
vened.
But the better plan, it is believed,
would be to convene congress in eX-
ira session to provide the sinews OF
war. If the military experts deem II
necessary congress should appropriate
by the hundreds of millions for the ma
tional defense. There should be no
paltry fashion of doing out the funds
that guarantee the national safety
and maintain the national honor.
And when it comes to determining the
military and naval policy that is to be
pursued, the plans of the experts, 1t is
pointed out, should be followed rather
than the ideas of civilians, no matter
how sincere and earnest they may be
nor high their office.
The paramount national crime, 1t is
felt, has been the neglect in the manu-
facture of ammunition. The program
of the department has always had in
view the formation of an army of
100000 as the minimum that would
be necessary in the event of war with
a first class power. The shortage of
for the arms of this num-
Der of infantry has been as marked
as the admitted shortage of shells for
the guns of various caliber for the
field artillery.
No Time to Lose.
These things, in the judgment of
men, should be supplied with
out the loss of a day. Many of them
believe that instead of manufa curing
the enormous volume of military sup
plies now under contract for the
armies of Europe and sending it out of
the country these same factories
should be running in the interest of
the United States. This could not be
men would be employed, and money
of the government put into circula-
ton and the material for the defense
of the country kept at home instead
of being shipped abroad, where, in the
course of time, some of it, such as
field artillery and arms for infantry,
may be used against this country.
Should it be found necessary to go
into Mexico to restore order and op
position and resistance should be Of
fered, that same resistance will be
made with arms that We're made IN
this country and which were permit
ted to be sold to the MeXicans to shoot
each other. A similar result with re-
gard to Europe, many believe, is not
at all unlikely.
Manifestly, if this nation is to be
confronted with war, or even threat
ened with war, within the next few
it will be impossible, accord
ing to high authorities, to materially
the navy, the one arm of
national defense upon which this gov
must rely if a foreign enemy
had the power to come to our shores
to strike a blow. The navy must be
a question for congress to take up SER
ously and scientifically with due re-
gard to the needs of the next two or
-hree years. Immediate attention
must be turned to the army. the land
forces upon which this country must
depend in the event of a possible in
vaSiOn.
Nations First Duty.
n ms Of
men it is the first duty of the
nation to begin the reorganization of
he army. This, they say, is the ma
lions only salvation. 1t would be
lutte impossible to make any arrange
ments with manufacture that would
cause them to nullify their ammuni-
lion contracts on the mere ground of
patriotism. To overcome this there |
are number of statesmen who would |
urge in congress that a law be passed
for an embargo on all mill |
.arS supplies. An embargo, they de- |
clare, whether politically wise or not, |
would put the United States in a posi- |
ton where it could commander the |
output of every factory in the land, |
and enable it to store up military sup
plies that would be of inestimable i'm |
portance in the event of war with an
other country.
1t is a matter of ammunition and |
munitions generally that the |
army today is lamentably weak. Con-
gress was appealed to during the last |
session for larger appropriations, but |
congress turned deaf ear. Only after |
the most repeated urging and against |
the recommendations of the house |
did the house allow one |
solitary million for the development of |
aeronauticS. That is a sam |
pie of the way congress doled out the |
funds before the country had been |
aroused to the actual condition of af- |
fairs.
Military experts say. that there is on |
hand today in the shape of ammuni- |
ion of all sorts only about enough to |