Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-09-09
NATloNA DEFENSE.

Chicago; 225 fifth Ave, New York
City; Gumbel Bldg, Kansas City, MO.
NATIONAL DEFENSE.
The subject of proper and ade-
quate national defense is uppermost
right now in the minds Of the Ameri-
can people. President Wilson has an
nounced a program calculated to build
up both the army and navy; ex-Presii-
dent Taft has come out in a powerful
plea for a stronger navy and a larger
and better equipped army; ex-Prest-
dent Roosevelt has been preaching a
like propaganda for some time.
The war has brought home to near
ly everyone the need for protection
against a foe that strikes suddenly
without warning; it is rapidly dawn
ing upon all but the most radical paci-
fcists that disarmament and desire
for peace are not absolute war pre-
ventatives. And the fate that ove
takes the unprepared nation in time
of war Is sufficient to make bigger
navy, bigger army advocates out of
nearly all who feel that they would
fight if need be to protect their homes
and families and properties from In
vaders.
It has been pointed out that the
auxiliary section of the navy exists
for the most part in name only. To
aid in c~ounteracting this, an organiza-
ton of motor boat and yacht owners
has been formed and countless speedy
patrol boats and submarine hunters
will be at the disposal of the govern
ment before very long. If the owners
learn how to use them along military
and naval lines, they will be of con-
siderable aid to the navy. Further
more, q naval reserve, comprising
men who have served in and been
discharged from the navy, is being
organized. 1t is hoped that in time
this reserve of experienced men will
be sufficiently strong to play a part
in wal If needed.
The regular army is sadly deficient
in officers as we'll as men. If a volun-
,teer army was to be raised suddenly
the lack of trained officers would
greatly hinder it's development and
detract from it's efficiency. To over
come this. several volunteer army
camps have been instituted and vari-
lous men of military aid have under
taken to give a fortnight Or a month
to a study Of military tactics and drill
under the direction of regular army Of
icers. These volunteers will learn
something and will prove Of service in
an emergency but the number need
ed would be a hundred times those
who have thus far undertaken to Sc
cure this training.
That a bigger and more comprehen-
s,ya plan Of providing men and equip
ment for national defense, Is needed,
is the opinion Of nearly all who have
given the subject any thought.
Our navy furnishes a good example
Of the complacency with which we
have allowed other countries to be-
come stronger than are we. The FOL
loving report on this subject was sub.
mitted at the recent conference OF
governors by John Hays Hammond,
Il. representative of the conference
committee on national preparedness:
"I had the privilege of witnessing
today aboard the Wyoming the I'M
pressiye naval review Of part OF the.
North Atlantic fleet.
"To the layman it was an imposing
sight to see the torpedo f1otilla as 1t
steamed past in double line formation
at about twenty knots an hour. But
tho 1ayman is impressed only by the
nicture and his thoughts in the matter
% "a further. The torpedo boats as
thew passed, to the scrutiny of n
understanding their true condition ana
not merely their outward effect, would
have shown q number of interesting
facts.
"In the first place, these boats in.
stead of having the four to SIX oHcers
aboard necessary for their proper
handling, had only two oficers. IheiI
crews consisted of only about hai1
the necessary number OF men. III
case OF sudden national emergency
these vessels could not be properly
handled to perform the functions TOR
which they are designed. with the
small crew operating them, they
could not maintain their maximum
speed Of twentyeight knots, winch
is the most essential quality IN crar'
Of this type.
Cam Compare With Foreign Ships.
'tOutside the matter of their per-
sonnet. the type Of torpedo craft
nassing the Wyoming in review,
would present a poor comparison with
the destroyers of the foreign powers.
4 large number Of vessels Of the
same class in the British and German
nayies have speeds of from thirty
three to thirty-six knots an hour.
Leading the torpedo iotilla came the
Birmingham, a sad reminder that we
have only three light cruisers OF con-
siderable speed, and these vessels,
when compared to the numerous craft
i of this type in the British n Ger
man navies, would present a sorry
contrast in their relatively low speed
and weak armament. Today What
few torpedo boats We possess Woulo
be easily swept from the seas oy
the fast cruisers of the enemy pos
! sessing speeds far superior to our de-
stroyers and torpedo craft,
qualities. enabling them to run down
these torpedo boats, and an armament
RAhat IN m engagement would soon
ENrAtHF