The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-16

wAsHtNGroN, Jan. l5.--Senator Lodge
in a speech before the United states Sen
ate to-day urged the appointment OF a
commission to report on national defence
conditions to the end that the people may
he informed and Congress able to act in
diligently.
Senator Lodges resolution proposes
that commission OF nine shall he ap-
pointed. three by the Speaker OF the
House. three by the vlce-Presldent and
three by the President
After showing that the percentage OF
toe expenditure for national defence 10
tho valuation OF property has decreased
in one hundred years from .0Ol23 to
0O09l. the Senator said:
"Slnce the foundation OF tho Govern
mcnt We have paid In pensions to sol
diers, sailors and marines. their widows,
minor children and dependent relatives,
on account Of services In the several
wars In which We have been engaged,
including cost OF maintenance, 1851
Se5.Si373.
1.-THE total expenditure for the navy
from 1894 to 1914 was s3.071.17e, 95s.9a.
Deductlng as we should In order to get
the expenditure in time OF peace, the ex-
penditure on the navy during our years
in time Of peace has cost the Govern
ment S9.663, 29i, $1,000. The total dis
bursements for the War Department
from the foundation OF the Government
are S7.4s4,34S.1IA26'
"Deductlng the disbursements for the
ten years OF war. which were s3.05S.75e.-
$50. 90, and the disbursements for rivers
and h1rbors which were s753.44s. $3.50.
we find that the total disbursements for
the War Department In time of peace
were t3.672.l39,5t4.5l The total dis
bursements for the two services in time
OF peace from the foundation of the Gov
eminent were $685.. 434.O75, which is
only Si.i77.53s.231.2 more than the
amount expended in pensions"
The Mobile Army.
The Senator next showed that the mo-
bile army force In continental United
States on June 80. 1914. consisted OF L.
495 officers and 29.405 men.
Senator Lodge expressed the opinion
that the Panama Canal Zone Is more
important to us for our national defence
than anything else.
AT the present moment II il niiserably
and most nadequately protected II Is
not enough to have fortlficRtions to guard
the ends OF the canal We must maintain
there a force sufficient TO protect the
canal, so far as II Is humanity possible
throughout it's entire length"
Discussing tho strength OF the navy
as disclosed in the report OF the Bureau
OF Naval Intelligence. compared with other
leading maritime Powers. the Senator
said:
This shows that We are now deficient
ten batueshps built. building and au-
thorized. from the number contemplated in
the 1908 programme OF the general board
of the navy.
tout OF our thirty completed hattleships
however. as well as I can make out from
the information available. there are twelve
which would require months OF work TO
get them In order. because they have been
laid up owing to the fact that we have not
had the men and the crews 10 put on
board OF them; that Is, we really have out
OF the thirty ships given In the table only
eighteen that are first rate modern ships
You will see from these tables that the
United States has four arcadnouEh.s
building or authorized and no battle
cruisers We need more destroyers, but
our most obvious weakness is in sub
marines.
at may also be added that the tor
pedoes We now have are all lightly built
and that our submarines are not only de-
hcient in torpedoes but in size. Germany,