The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-09-08
PREPARE TO Fight
WILSON CALLS CONFERENCE OF
DEMOCRATIC LEADERS
TILLMAN -FAVORS SUBS

Senator Speaks for Battle Cruisers
and Submarines-Goes Down in
Two Underwater Boats at Brook
Iyn Navy Yard.
This week the reports of Secretary
Garrison and Secretary Daniels will
be submitted to the president on the
stete Of the army and navy, with
their recommendations for provisions
for the national defense.
The president intends to go into
the question of national defense
| thoroughly and he will confer with
Senators Chamberlain and Tillman
of the Senate Committees on Military
and Naval Affairs and with Repre-
sents.tives Hay and Padgett of the
Corresponding Committees in the
House.
| 1t is his purpose to get the Demo-
cratic leaders in congress to agree
| upon some definite plan by which
they can legislate to improve the ma
tional defenses without an eXtraordi-
nay increase in the appropriations.
That there will be lively contest
in both the Senate and House over
proposed national defense legislation
4, is indicated in recent interviews with
Chairman Hay of the House Commit
tee on Military Affairs and Repre-
sentative Claude Kitchin, who has
been selected by the Democrats foc
majority leader of the House to sue
ceed Oscar w. Underwood, who goes
to the Senate.
Mr.. Kitchin said he would not
stand for large increase in the
regular army or big appropriations
for dreadnoughts. He thinks the
submarine has won a prominent,
place in national defense and is will,
/ ing to provide literally to increase
the number in the navy. It looks
now as if the big issue before con-
gress next winter will be the nation
al defense policy.
! United States Senator Tillman,
chairman of the senate committee on
naval affairs, spent a day at the
Brooklyn navy yard. Most Of the
senator's attention Monday was de-.
voted to submarines. He visited the
U-2, which will use the new Edison.
batteries and then inspected the new
devices on the ks. Both boats were
submerged with Senator Tillman On
board.
/ United States Senator BENJAMIN
R. Tillman, who is in New York,
said to World correspondent that he.
had been invited to attend a confer,
ence next Wednesday in the White
House.
| To this conference, he added, have
been summoned Secretary Of War
Garrison and Secretary of the Navy
daniels, Senator Tillman, Senator
Chamberlain of. Oregon, head of the
| Committee of Military Affairs, and
| Senator Blair Lee of the Committee
on Coast Defenses, and Representa-
| tive James Hay of Virginia and Lem
uel E. Padgeon, head of the Army
and Navy Committees Of the House,
respectively.
Other men of national prominence
| have also been asked to attend.
e"The purpose of <the conference"
said Senator Tillman, sis the begin
ming of the formulation of definite
measures and plans to be placed be-
fore congress at its coming session in
obedience to public opinion aroused
| in favor Of preparedness for war.
predict without hesitation that every
man at the conference will back
| President Wilson in any measure he
may advocate for increasing our ma
tional defenses.
Gas to former President Roose-
velt's actions at this time, they are
only indicative of the manner in
which he has acted all his life. In,
great contrast to mis- behavior to-
ward the president is that Of former
President Taft, and it is all to the
credit of Mr.. Taft
1.-THE present war;" Senator Till
man continued, "has taught US the
need Of being prepared. We want to
be prepared not so much for war as
against war At the conference I
shall advocate strongly a larger navy.
We need many more submarines OF
the type which have proved most sue
cessful in the European conflict.
II believe this government should
also have many more cruisers Of the
fastest type possible to ber built. But
mainly the submarine has become the
| great factor in naval warfare, and
we should be alive to its possibilities.
1.-The storage battery invented by
| Thomas A. Edison, I am told by
naval experts, will be great asset to
our submarines, making them more
efficient and less dangerous to their
crews, in that the battery does not
generate chlorine gas.
'sThen, too, we must provide for
the purchase, manning and care OF
fleet of aeroplanes.
Secretary Daniels is to be COM
plimented on his idea Of organizing
a naval board of inventors. 1t has
been a very wise move on his part.
We will have the best talent and
genius in the United States at our
service on that board, and what IS
more, political complexion will be
entirely removed, in that the mem
bers will be selected solely because
of their scientific qualifications and
achievements.
Each will be an expert in par
ticular line. I an certain that every
American Of such attainments will
be patriotic enough when called up
on to give the best of which he is
capable in the interest Of the coun-
| try.
II do not favor a, large standing
army, but I am strongly in favor OF
training many more army officers
than we do, and I favor also mill
tary training for boys Id youths in
schools and colleges"
Senator Tillraan had just returned
from a ten-week trip through the
| Panama canal and to the San Fran
cisco Exposition. He was accompani-
ed on the trip by his wife. Both
came to New York in first rate
health.
American Cruiser at Haiti.
| The cruiser Tennessee arriving in