Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-09-23
SAYS TRUSTS BACK OF WAR SCARE

(By General Isaac r. Sherwood, chair
man pension committee II. of RI
II the jingoes have their way in the
nearby session Of congress. we shall
have another tax bill or an additional
bond issue. And, judging the imme-
dlate future by the regretful past, the
war-mad are liable to have their way,
We have SO useless battleships that
have cost the taxpayers over $780,
100000. During the last session Of
congress we authorized two more,
This, 100, in spite Of the fact that
the submarine was know to be mas
ter Of the biggest dreadnaught i'm the
world
We appropriated S80.000,000 Of our
heaTd-eaTned tax money TO build two
more battleships, with the full know
ledge that only few weeks before,
one German submarine. costing $500
600, had sent to the bottom Of the
North sea i'm 40 minutes three English
cruisers, with the loss Of 1912 men.
And yet in a vote Of the national
house Of representatives on the prop
osiriou of building two more of these
useless lighting machines. only 20
members, as / recall, had sense enough
10 vote against this extravaganza.
For the past decade the Army and
Navy league has dictated the military
policy OF the United States. Now. after
We have built the second strongest
navy In the world. this military cabaI
is trying TO scare the American people
with the ldea that We have practically
no national defense.
When I say we have the second
strongest navy in the world, I am pre-
pared to prove it by statistics printed
by military authority from official re-
ports
Previous TO the opening of the war
Germany had 20 modern battleshtps.
The United States had So Of the
older battleships Germany had 20, the
United States y.
OF first class cruisers, Germany had
nine, the United States seven. Of Sec
ond class cruisers, Germany had six.
the United States four. Of third class
cruisers practically out of date}. Ger
many had 81, the United States Is.
OF gunboats, Germany had six, the
United States 81. Of destroyers, Ger
many had 152, the United States 9s.
OF torpedo boats, Germany had At, the
United States q. OF submarines. Ger
many had 80, the United S.
In view Of these statistics, what be-
comes Of that foolish theory that the
kaiser. after annihilating Europe. is
to attack the United States?
We appropriated last year over
Sl47000,000 for the navy. and $101,-
100000 for the army, not counting
100000 for Notifications and the
millions for the national guard and
for ammunition and target practice.
Our appropriations for military pur-
poses last year was larger than the
appropriations Of Germany the year
Immediately proceeding the war in
Europe, when the kaiser was making
preparations for the most titanic
struggle IN modern times.
Owing to the banefuI influence of
this military. propaganda. il Is. proba-
bic that when congress meets again
in December. it will be called upon
to appropriate from SI00,000.000 to
$50Q.0o0,000 more for military pur-
poses.
The Army and Navy league, which
has controlled the legislation Of con
gress for the last decade and over, has
never been so active as now.
This league has abundant capital. is
backed by the powder. armor. steel
and all the minor trusts.
1t is also backed by a powerful ar
ray Of newspapers and magazines.
owned and dominated by the same
propaganda. Hence, addition
al tax burdens appear at this date to
be inevitable
England today has a navy much
larger and more powerful in big yes
sells and guns than the Germany navy. |
For 200 years the British navy has
been proclaimed master of the seas.
Where is that mastery now? Why