The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-07-15

kAHttAE anu 0AfNtHNn NOoNt
not hase taken the steps they tool
n few days ago Tor h national de-
Tense IL they had bccn Republicans,
Hot We are glad M to q Democratic
ADMINISTRATION should belong the
credit Of introducing COMMON sense
into our national defense policy in so
marked a degree.
In forming. or planning 20 form,
for Il Is not yet complete a civilian
board OF nvento and technical cx-
perta to aid the United states in
maintaining It's peace by making war
with II too terrible 10 consider. the
secretary Of the navy has taken a
wise step. II In quite possible. OF
course. thai this civilian board Of cx-
perts viii not discover anything so
awful hat other nations will fear 70
go 20 war with ~. Somewhere in
n archives Of the British war Of
flee Is the record Of Nelson's plan
for making war so terrible u would
be abandoned. n plan that WIS dis
carded BY England as too fearsome
a thing ever to be used. Germany
knew OF this plan. but that did not
force the Teutons 20 stay AZ peace.
But il is quite within the possible
tiles that our new experiment board
may discover weapons or arms or ex-
piosives that will enable America 70
make a war so costly that peace will
come soon. should she be forced into
a war.
Beside. there is always the chance
that the new boards initiation marks
the end OF the shabby treatment We
have always given inventors who
sought 10 serve their country. n can
nevsr be fofgotteE that America had
the opportunity Of controlling the
sea for d long period Of yeas Through
the patents on submarines that were
offered to her by Lake and Holland.
Nor can the cavalier treatment ae-
corded Langley aad the wrights,
when they brought their discoveries
In aeronautics to the attention OF this
government. Eve be anything but a
blot upon the country's scroll OF OPP
portunity. Nobody has ever treated
inventors so s~hamefuily as has Amer
lea Let US hope that this common
sense plan OF defense will act in some
measure as a remedy for this.
In h other great department Of
warfare. the army wing. under Sec
rotary Garrison, steps have been taken
fully as f~ar-reaching In portent as the
navyss action IN cnlisting civilian
brains TO do ITS heavy thinking along
technical lines In permitting two
Of the ordnance bureaus experts to
resign to take up work in private
munitions factories, which now have
contracts with Europesn powers for
furnishing quantities Of war mater
iaI. Secretary Garrison displayed a
degree OF perSpicaclty which augurs
well for his administration OF army
affairs Taking Il by and large, it Is.
the citizens OF America that must
defend this country IN the event OF.
war, for the army Is too small TO
make more than a mouthful for a
first-claas power. Even httie Bel
GUM. az the beginning Of the present
vast conflict. had more men under
arms than the United states. Espe-
ciasly must the government depend
upon the citizens, private Interests
that IL. for munitions. since the fed
eral arsenaIs are inadequate 20 sup
ply sufficient quantities Of arms ane
ammunition for any army that woul'
have to be placed in the field II thi'
country got INTO a war with anothol
Of its own size.
Now, the more citizens there ar'
trained in producing arms and mum
iions. the less wiz be h difficulty II
the WY Of AmericF when a war doei
comc-if II comes. In other words
lending two army expects 20 a private
arm will not only enable that firm e
have the benefit Of the officers tx.
p~erience and study. while the ofhcert
viii have the benefit Of the expert
ence 10 be gained In handling actua
war contracts under stress Of war
demands. Also, the manufacturer
will have been drawn into that much
closer relation with tho government
which Is a step in preparation fol
ANYTHING that may neccssitate clos'
relations Ia the future.
is cannot be denied that We shoul'
have changes and impr0gemenis y
our military eac establishment ~
We are nov taking up a position
where Il will be possible 10 utlllz
the brains ability Of the civi
population, a step In advance that WI