The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-10-24

sentiment TO the necessity of adopting
measures TO insure preparedness In
case Of war. The Governors are W.
p. Hunt. Arizona: Marcus II. Holcomb.
connecticut. q. w. Clarke. Iowa:
James Il McCrcary, Kentucky, En-
met u. Boyle, Nevada: Charles s.
Whitman. New York; l.. d.. Hanna,
North Dakota; Park Trammei. Flor
ida. James withycombc, oregon: II.
Livingston Becckman. Rhode Island;
Richard I. Manning, South Carolina;
.E.rnes, Lister. Washington. and u. l..
Philip. Wisconsin.
In addition the Mayors of twenty
five cities already have appointed citi-
zens' committees and the Mayors of
other cities are now engaged on the
sane work. The cities already pro-
yided with these Mayors committees
range all the way from Boston to Los
Angeles. Jacksonville, Fla. is organ
led and so Is Buffalo. committees
are at work in Sacramento. Nicks-
burg. Newark. Racine. Wis; Char
htte. y. G.: Chey M Wyo., and st.
Josepl. Mo.
The purpose of these state and city
committees. as well as The purpose of
,hc National security League Itself, IS
not to interfere in any way with plans
FOR increasing the system of defence
As explained 10y Henry l.. West. cNccu-
tive secretary of the National Secur-
IT'S League. the aim * 10 give Congress
,ndlsputable proof that the country as
2 whole desires and demands an ade-
uuate system of defence. Mr.. West
was until recently a Commissioned of
the District OF Columbia.
"The whole thing rests with CON-
eress." he tells readers NJ THE SUNDAY
SvN. Groups nj men IN one locality
or another may get together. make
speeches and pass resolutions avor-
,ng an intelligent and effectual plan
q, national defence: but nothing will
happen unless Congress is convinced
that the country insists pon action.
When Congress IL so convinced then
YOU may he sure tina there will be
action.
I am inclined Ia think he added
with a smile. that before Congress
has been in session many days it vii!
he convinced definitely. thoroughly
and with no misgivings AZ to the tenn
per Of the American people as II whole.
Already We have more than 200 Con-
ggessmcn IN record i'll favor Of adc-
Qlate national defence: the Security
League has members in every state of
\ tho Union and branches already are
formed or are in process OF formation
r. seventy cities. In Massachusetts
there are 1000 members. while the
fttg ,f tH',f,.u. nf,An hos q upu
In Virginia, for example, oreani-
cations are under way not only in
Richmond and Norfolk but in towns
IKE Newport News. Hampton. Char
lottosvillc. and reports from there say
that most of the Virginia Congress-
men a. we'll as the Senators are fav-
"rably inclined To "a system 81 ma
tlondl defence. summit. y. j.. men
seem as keenly alive as de- the men Of
Kansas City. and here is a telegram
that comes in from the far south
west, from Tucson: Arizona. Of the
Mexican border. wants preparedness;
arizona. home of the immortal Rough
Riders. wants preparedness. Arizona
americans want preparedness. our
only regret is hat We have only one
Congressional representative to give
our country
There's enthusiasm for YOU Mr..
West continued. laying aside the tele-
cram. And while there is a certain
lump In the way il Is expressed, it's
spirit is shared by the more con-erca-
lively expressed messages hat have
come in here to the headquarters OF
'he league from more conservative
communities.
The campaign for preparedness
now being conducted by the National
security League is nationwide. Origi-
mating in New York and now spread
me from Maine to California. il needed
only the presentation OF the facts as
TO the inadequate condition Of our
Rational defences to awaken the
American people to n realization Of the
necessity OF securing complete pro-
lection. II is no eXaggeration to say
That scarcely one mar In a thousand
lad any idea of the fact that during
the last few years the American navy
Lad been lowered from second to
fourth place as compared with the
other nations Of the world. or that
the army could not muster more than
''''' Nl''pH All II iiioDIIe LUTTE, W tntl
n" reserve of National Guard men,
which on paper aggregated 10000,
was IN reality only a small proportion
Of that number Of trained and
equipped men.
II was comparatively easy in the
early days Of the formation OF the
National Security League to arouse
interest In New York and around the
north Atlanti coast. In New York
city billions OF dollars Of property
Vas located within range of guns on
modern warships firing from a point
Jar outside of the limits of New York
hdrhcr and resting on the broad sur
hce or the ocean way beyond Sandy
Hook. Within n radius Of 200 miles
IRON New York city were located
practically all the factories engaged
IN the manufacture Of munitions of
war. Koston lay in an exposed posi-
Ton, and statistics showed that there
were only 2l3 men to guard the APP
p'oarhos TO Philadelphia along the
Delaware River between Delaware
~Breakwatcr and the city itself.
The approach to Washington by
way of Cape Henry and the Chesa-
peake Bay was more or less un-
guarded, similar conditions existed
on tho Pacific coast, where there was
not "A single first class battleship and
where along 1900 miles of coastIine
mere vera only fourteep pima Uhila