The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-10-15
THE ADVERTISERS SEMl.WEEKLY
Hedqinq On Preparedness

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D EPORTS from Washington to The Adver
N tiscr point to a possibility that Mr. Bryan
Is voicing the views of President Wilson IN M
current public speeches and statements on th'
preparedness question. 1t is becoming eviden
that the President is holding back as hard as HI
can on national defense and that he desires tt
make his forthcoming, recommendations to con
eress lust as moderate and pacific as possible
While Mr. Wilson has not declared it in so many
words and while he probably will not reveal IN
attitude until the opening OF the session, 1t Il
taken in Washington as a foregone CONCLUSION
that Mr. Wilson intends to ignore the recon-
mendations Of the war department, both as tt
military policy and in the matter OF increases o
the regular establishment and to cut down appro
tpriations for land deenses to the lowest possible
limits which the country will stand. AS sol
to the general demand for preparedness tor de
Tense it is thought that the Navy will get in ;
large measure, the increase in ships and men tina
the naval experts have declared necessary.
In view of the active Republican agitation fol
Army increase it has become necessary, from the
Administrations point of view, that it should have
some one in the field who can meet that agitation
with agitation against preparedness. Mr., Bryan
pSS'1iOAA
to feel any pressure from constituents who nigh
threaten the seat of senator or congressman
and for this reason he appears to have been dele
gated to voice the cause.
All this leads to the conviction that Presiden
Wilson is preparing to straddle the issue or tC
steer middle course between the extreme pa
E.ifists on one hand and those whom Mr.. Bryan
terms LIMOGES" on the other. At present the so
called ngoes have pretty we'll succeeded in cap
turing public opinion and the recent statemen
| of President Gompers of the American Fedora
ton of Labor indicates clearly that organized
labor will not oppose the strong program whlcl
the Republicans will undoubtedly urge. 1t is il
order to counterfeit this propaganda, that tn
administration is encouraging, unofhcally ant
secretly, an opposite propaganda. Political ex
J pediency appears to have nominated Mr.. Bryan
| tor this task.
As The Advertiser stated editorialy fort
night ago. the plans prepared at Secretary Gar
risons instance by the general staff have alread
been returned four times to the war department
| to be cut down.
We learn that the matter of expense involve
in creating the army which the war secretar
Thought necessary was not really the poin
which failed to meet the Presidents approVa
but because he has become welded to the traine
than enlarged regular establishment Agar
the military policy evolved from War Colleg
studies was not to the Presidents liking, thi
proposed Lewiston of Filipino troops and con
siderable increase OF regulars for service in tn
Islands. Such proposal naturally could not b
acceptable to an administration which is SUP
posed to be flirting with the Jones Bill and plan
ming to bring up the matter Of independence i
the coming session.
The Advertisers Washington authority state
probably be the plans which Secretary Garriso
proposed last session The 1000 or 100 add
tional officers for duty with the national guar
is believed TO have been faVOrabIy considered b
the administration and also the increase of til
number of enlisted men to bring the regiments
the mobile army on the mainland to war strength
| A slight increase of the coast artillery corps wi
be recommended, but the general staff recon
| mendatiOns for thirty-e ght new regiments
infantry is understood to have been cut to twell
and the 6e'I artillery arm will be increased by
few regiments.
A further increase of the army by yearly incr
nlents is acceptable to the administration, but II
extent that it will allow itself to be led TOWARD
Republican mitarism will not exceed thes
| limits and the responsibilities for further add
tons to the regular establishment will not
assumed by the administration.