Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-05-16

BIG MEN AT THE HEAD
Idea Is to Prepare against
War;; National Defense
Proposition.

Special to The World
NEW YORK, May 15.-Better coast
defenses a definite military and naval
policy budget system for appropri-
ating money instead Of the present
pork Barrel" method in congress, an
effective mobile regular army, better
government support for the national
guard and the creation Of an organ
i2ed army and navy reserve are among
the platform planks upon which the
National Security league is sending
out an appeal for tho enrolment OF
first American army OF one million
volunteer workers
Among the names which appear in
the membership of this league for
national defense are: Joseph II.
Choate, former ambassador to Eng
land, honorary president; Alton b.
Parker, honorary vice president; S
Stanwood Menken, president; former
Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson
chairman Of the army committee; j
Bernard walker chairman Of the
navy committees benjamin T.. Tracy
former secretary OF the navy; Col.
William G. Church, editor Of the Army
and Navy Journal.
In the call for volunteers the
| league points out that until a salts
factory plan for disarmament has
been worked out and agreed upon by
the nations of the world, the United
States must be adequately prepared
to defend itself against invasion, and
also that a military equipment suffl-
| Cient for this purpose can be had with
out recourse to militarism." The
| league was formed, continues the ap-
| peal "as a preparation not for war
| but against war;
There are today according to the
| league, but 10000 mobile troops In
small force is short or officers, am
munition and equipment. 1t Is dis
| tributed among So widely scattered
points, which would make 1t impos-
sible to mobilize quickly at any given
point.
The national guard, according to the
league, is far below its paper strength
in men, equipment and efficiency.
A Peace Navy.
In the report of the naval commit
| tee, our navy is described as a "a
peace navy" inadequately manned,
without sufficient target practice, ex
ceeded in tonnage by Great Britain,
France and Germany, and, moreover,
with many of our ships obsolete.
There is need Of navy of sufficient
size" says the committee, TO prevent
the capture Of our insular possessions,
to guarantee the neutrality OF the
Panama canal and to prevent the
landing of hostile force at any point
upon our q 900 miles OF coast"
| Among the standing committees be-
ing organized by the league Is a
peace committee, on which 1t Is pro-
posed to invite representatives Of the
onurch on q nonsectarian basis, to
serve together with men distinguished
| as pubilCistS whose services Will tend
to disarm those critics Of the league
who have brought the accusations
that the league is organized for the
| promotion of war.
The call for volunteers and for pub
Ito support is being sent out in the
form of an open letter addressed to
present and former members of the
cabinet, to members Of congress, to
governors of our states and terrtorl-
ties, to mayors, to chambers of COM
merce and boards Of trade, to mer-
chants associations to university
clubs and universities, to patriotic or
ganizations, to all women's clubs and
to all American citizens in general.
It Is the present plan Of the league
to make national defense an issue at
the coming session Of congress. With
this program in view, branches are
being organized all over the country,
especially in the districts OF opposi-
tion. Steps have already been taken
for branches in nearly two hundred
prominent cities.
All those interested in the work of
the league are invited to send their
names and money contributions to the
National Security league, 81 Pine
street, New York city.
casa nf self neceif