Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-08-28
CONFERENCE
Of GOVERNORS
COMES TO CLOSE
Salt Lake City Chosen for Next
Annual Meeting Of State
Executives. 1885,.
GOVERNOR DUNNE ON
WAR PREPAREDNESS
Governors Agree That Army and
Navy of u. s. Must Be
Strengthened.

0tA VNS VuouSN' ssr
Boston, Mass, Aug. 27.-After dis
cassion of the naval and military re-
sources Of the country, in which it
was generally agreed that the Unit
ed States was not adequately prepar-
cd against foreign invasion, the con-
ference Of governors ended it's annual
session today. No resolution on the
subject was proposed, but several Of
the executives said they felt certain
that all the governors would return
to their states with the intention Of
demanding from their congressman
support in any program for strength
ching the forces of defense.
Salt Lake Next ..
The governors chose Salt Lake City
rs the place for next years meeting
and elected the governor of Utah,
William Frye, as chairman of the eX
ecutive committee. Miles c. Reilly
of Madison, Wis, was reelected Sec
retary.
The discussion by the governors to-
day was trespassed by remarks OF
Congressman VIM. G. Redfield, speak
ing, not in behalf Of the adminislra-
ton, but as member of it, Secretary
Kedfield urged restraint of speech
sOftness OF thought in what he term
ed these trying times. Gov. w. S.
Hammond of Minnesota, emphasizing
what he said was the fact that this
country had spent hundreds of mil
lions more dollars for it's army and
navy than any other nation in the
world, recommended the creation Of
some board which would be able to
thoroughly inform congress of the
needs for national defense. He said
he was not SO pessimIstic as some
on the subject Of unpreparedness,
holding a sufticience that If need
arose we would find those battleships
of ours giving a very good account
of themselves
1t was his opinion that the nation
must depend largely upon the patri-
otism of its people for defense, that
the "men would not stand for com.
pulsory military service and the ma
ton cannot afford to hire its soldiers
Boston, Mass, Aug. 27.-Governor
Edward F. Dunno, of Illinois, advised
greater military and naval prepared
ness in his address at the Governors s
Conference here today. In part, Gov.
Dunno said
Since the commencement of The
tremendous war now waging in Eur
ope, and the danger of our country
being embroiled therein, all classes of
people in the republic have been ser.
iously considering the unpreparedness
for war which seems to exist in our
country.
IF war were to be declared against
this country by one of the six great
est nations of Europe it must be con-
ceded that the United States in its
present condition of land and naval
forces would be in sorry predica'
ment. For offensive warfare our land
forces are so small as to be regarded
with ridicule. Our naval armament
might succeed for time in damaging
cities and Notifications upon the sea-
coast of possible enemy in Europe
but separated so far as we would be
from the base of. supplies such often
sive naval war could not be of last.
ing duration.
Coasts Unprotected.
I'm defensive naval warfare. we
might for time make creditable
showing upon our own coasts; but ii
any of these great nations should ef-
feet landing of any considerable
army, for weeks at least such an in
vasion would be unopposed. This SER
ious situation of affairs has given even
the most ardent advocates of peace
between the nations grave concern.
"The present militia of all Of the
different states Of the United States
is wholly Inadequate for the defense
of the nation. In 1918, the total mill
tia of the National Guards of all the
states aggregated approximately one
hundred and twenty thousand men.
Such number of men would be who'll
" inadequate for the defense of the
nation in case of war with any first
class power.
Regular Army Small. +.
"To rely upon the regular army OF
one hundred thousand men, and mi
litia Of one hundred and twenty thous-
and men in case of war with a first
class power would be an act o. su-
preme folly. The citizen-soldiery of
the republic must be reorganized, re-
/ generated and enormously increased.
There should be at least body of
citizen-soldiery trained to the use Of
arms, organized and maintained
throughout the different states of the
United States in the aggregate Of at
least two million men. How can
this be accomplished without impos.
ing too great hardship upon its
members and upon the taxpayers OF
the nation? It can be accomplished
tby the adoption of two measures.
Advances Plan.
First: BY requiring every college
and university in the United States
CONTINUED on page two.)
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