Omaha daily bee., 1915-01-16
WOULD CUT OUT
NEEDLESS POSTS
Senator Lodge So Urges in Behalf
of Stopping Leaks Of Army and
Making it More Balanced.
MAKES SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS

NAAA1hAf0 VI LANAI
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.--In urging on
the senate the need for a commission to
report on military preparedness or for
permanent council Of national defense,
Senator Lodge today declared that the
national defense of the country lis not
imperfect and unbalanced. but that It
has grave and in some instances fatal
deficiencies" lie designated what he
termed many OF the defects and said they
we're almost wholly due to congress-"
An adequate national defense, the SEN
ator said, could be obtained without ad-
ditlonsl expenditures Cut off needless
army posts, navy yards and stations" he
advised the senate. Lay aside for a few
years appropriations for public and river
and harbor improvements where they
are not needed. Drop all the expenditures
which are designed for spots where votes
are lying thickest and you will have
money enough to provide for sufficient
army and an adequate navy without add
ing 90 the burden of taxation.
He warned that the ocean barrier that
defended the country in 1T76 and In 1872
had been destroyed by steam and cleo
tricity. Unarmed. unready. undefended,
the nation stands an invitation to ag-
gression and attack, he said.
Militia Also Defective.
Senator Lodge asserted that not only
the regular army, but the militia, was
highly defective, adding that the Panama
canal was ''miserably and most in
adequately protected against being blown
up and blocked for months by agents or
spies Of a hostile natioA. He said the
recommendation OF Secretary Garrison
for a 5000 increase In men was very
! moderate.
He expressed regret that only sixteen
men were on the reserve list, subject to
be called back to the colors to fiji up the
gaps which war would make in the reg
ular army.
Senator Lodge declared the army was
without sufficient artillery and artillery
ammunition and said available testimony
showed that the guns in the Qualifications
were OF shorter range that those car
ried by foreign warships OF the latest
designs.
lie said the army had practically no
motor trucks for transport or armored
cars with machine guns.
The difficulty appears TO be-" he con.
tinued. according to the War depart
ment. that no satisfactory motor truck
has yet been developed in the United
States"
Have Enough Mines.
Senator Lodge stated that there was
apparently a sufficient number of mines
for harbor defense. but that there was Q
shortage OF cable and mine planters.
As to the navy, Senator Lodge said
more destroyers were needed, but thC
most obvious weakness was in subma,
rines. The worst deficiency, he contin
ued. was in scout cruisers, the United
states having only three, against sew
enty-four In England, forty-one In Ger
many and thirteen In japan.
we have. therefore. three scout eruis
ers" declared the senator. ito protec
and give warning Of the approach OF
hostile fleet for 6000 miles OF coast on IN,
Atlantic and Pacific. II they were con
eentrated on the Atlantic coast, tho!
would have to cover 1000 miles day d
!. patrol tho coast. and they are SLOW
'ehlps"
The European war, he said, had dem
, onEtrated the value of air craft. yet tn
: army had only thirteen aeroplanes an
! no Zeppelins or dirigible airships. and n
: armored aeroplanes and no guns suttabl
=
for aeroplanes. The navy has twelv
aeroplanes and no zeppellns or dirigibles
Senator Lodge stated that he had bee
, informed that the appropriation for navs
aircraft had not been expended. the della
being due. among other things. 70 fail
I ure OF the American manufacturers
furnish aeroplanes. He asserted the eS
plantations given we're no defense OF n
conditions and said that II seemed TO hin
idle to suppose that good aeroplanes coui
Z be built In this country.
1T Is quite possible" he concludes
"that the warEing European nations hav
70 not got <he best conceivable type OF acre
n planes. but they have large numbers {
"a them, which are formidable and effectiV
4 and which seem TO answer every pu
e pose"
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