New Britain herald., 1915-09-18

become involved in protecting them
 or their property.
 *'This has been the most favorable
 action the administration has taken
 in the case of American investments
 in Mexico. Very frequently those in
 authority have even refused to dis
 cuss Mexican affairs with those who
 had material interest there, assign
 ing as a reason that having property
 interests would make them prejudice
 ed witnesses ana that this adminis-
 tration did not care for that kind
 of testimony.
 Unpreparedness.
 "One of the questions which con- gress must consider next winter is that of preparedness. 1t is not be- coming hysterica1 on this subject in declaring that in many Particulars we have not made suitable prepara- ton for our own defense. The Euro bean war. many months ago, fur nished us reasons for this course,
 making it imperative that we give
 consideration to our military con- dition not because we desire war but
 to take necessary precautions so that
 if for any reason, while the state of
 mind of all nations is inflamed and
 prejudiced, we should become entan-
 gled in foreign complications we
 would not be impotent.
 1T note in the discussion in which
 Senator Lodge and the secretary of
 the navy have been engaged that both
 agree that the question of our mili-
 tary establishment should not be one
 affected by partisan politics. I am
 entirely in sympathy with that view
 fo iS-9n6 oSih
 ity for neglect should be placed where
 it belongs-that the democratic party as an organization has been. in the
 past decade, either opposed to or only negatively in favor of any military and
 naval development. This is parti- cularaly true in recent years. AL most invariably when there has been a test vote on an increase of battle ships, for example, when the republi- cans have been in control of congress, or any other change which would strengthen the military establishment, a great majority of the democrats have voted against it and this has been true in many cases when they themselves have been in control of congress; so that even when they have had the power to do so they have not made any material increases in or strengthening of our military defenses.
 Refers to Record Of Votes.
 To illustrate the correctness of this statement, it is only necessary to l refer to the record votes on providing 1 battleships taken from the Congress sional Record. For the thirty years between 1883 and 1913 there were ten republican and five democratic con- gresses. During the five democratic l congresses there were authorized 144,- 900 tons of new ships, or 14,4OO tons During the ten republican congresses there were authorized 1 l,O66,OOO tons of new ships, or 50,33O tons a year; that is to say, the repub- dcans authorized substantially four 1mes as much tonnage annually as lid the democrats
 ITO give more definitely the cor 'ectness of this statement, I refer 0 votes of record which have been hade in recent congresses. In the econd session of the Sixty first con- s1ess the senior minority member of he house naval minority, MT. Pad sett now the chairman of the naval committed, moved to recommit the naval appropriation bill with instruc- ions to strike out two and insert one and this motion was SUD- ported by eighty-eight democrats, a very considerable majority of those vho voted. In the third session of he same congress MT. Padgett made ! similar motion and ninety-seven l democrats voted yes
 Tn the second session of the sixty econd congress a republican member nh fC nf Mae o1, | o increase the naval esta blishment y building an additional first class 'attleship. This motion was lost by vote of 106 ito 140 and, of the neg l tive votes, 137 were cast by demo- rats. The senate adopted a similar notion and on the motion to con- ur, made in the house, there were 50 negative votes, Of which 145 were asst by democrats.
 "In the third session of the sixty econd congress, on a motion made n the house to strike out two bat l leships and insert one, the vote being l "A to 1856, of the 174 yeas 146 'otes were cast by democrats, and it 1 mould be noted that the democrats l were in control of that house. The enate later inserted two battleships n the bill and on motion to con- ] ,ur, made in the house, of 16s mega i've votes, the motion being lost, 146 were cast by democrats.
 Tn the second session of the sixty hird congress a motion was made by 1 democrat to strike out two and in- ert one battleship, the vote being l .c6 yeas to POP nays; of the 1O6 l yeas ninety-six were cast by demo- rats. The house was then control ! ed by that party.
 "In the third session of the sixty l hird congress a similar motion was made, the vote being 149 to 165, and