The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1915-08-25
WILL WORK OUT
MILITARY POLICY
AS Part OF the Prepared
ness Plan.
A COUNCIL TO Be ORGANIZED
BY President-Mill Embrace
Three Cabinet Members,
Eight congressman.
ALSO FOUR MILITARY EXPERTS

Washington, Aug. 21.-A council
of national defense will form a part
of the Presidents reasonable and
practicable" scheme OF military pre-
pardeness. The creation of the eoun-
ell, pledged by the Baltimore con-
vention platform, will be undertaken
on the eve of campaign in which
the roll will be called on Democratic
promises
The President, through confer
enees with members of his Cabinet
and the heads of the military COM
mittees of Congress will. in effect,
create a council of national defense
before Congress has an opportunity
to place its official approval on the
plan. Under plans for such a coun-
Gil, which have been formulated in
Congress heretofore, but which were
never enacted into law, the council
will be headed by the President and
will include the Secretaries of State,
War and Navy, eight members of
Congress, comprising the heads of
the committees having to do with
military appropriations, and four mil
itary experts, the chief of staff of
the army, the chief of naval opera
lions and the heads of the Army and
Navy War Colleges.
Such a council is designed to
work out a military policy. Neither
the army nor the navy has been de-
veloped in line with a fixed policy.
The haphazard whims of Congress
have constituted the only policy.
Officers of both branches of the
military service have had fixed pol
icies in mind and have adhered to
them for a number of successive
years, making their recommendations
in line with these broad but definite
plans. For the most part these rec
concentrations never emerged from
the category of tentative plans. A
council of national defense would be
empowered to draft policy to
which the army and navy would be
expected to adhere, for a few years
at least, and, after the acceptance of
such policy, it would require addi-
tional temerity for Congress to
make notable changes in plans.
Practically every important Power
in the world except the United States
now has such a council.
The recommendation of legisla-
tion along this line may tend to
break down opposition within the
Democratic ranks, provided there re-
mains in Congress. after the expert
ence of the last two years. any re-
spect whatever for platform pledges. !
The Baltimore platform of 1912
said:
1--WE approve the measures report !
ed by the Democratic leaders in the !
House Of Representatives for the |
creation of council of national de-
tense which will determine a def
mite naval program, with a view to
increased efficiency and economy" /
For the purposes of the council,
he world must be regarded as po-
.ential enemy in making plans for
rational defense. In past years the
plans have not included the building
If navy sufficient to cope with that
If Great Britain.
At present the emergencies which
he United States might be called
ipon to meet are largely unknown
quantities. because the nations att
var in Europe have been adding TO
heir naval power to an unknown de-
yree, and IL is probable that only
lfter the return of peace will mill
AIRY experts in the United States be
bile to learn exactly what offensive
trength confronts them in the case
II each nation.