Evening star., 1915-04-11
j. S. RESERVE ARMY
AS OBJECT LESSON
Members of Force, Numbering
Nine Men, Assembled Here
by Mr.. Gardner.
HIS GUESTS AT DINNER
AT NEW WILLARD HOTEL
Massachusetts, Congressman Makes
an Address in Which He Scores
the Present Administration.

States, modified at the call or repre-
sentative A. P. Gardner of Massachu-
setts. spent yesterday in the National
Capital. Nine men, a majority of the
entire reserve force Of the country.
which numbers sixteen in all, answer
ed the roll call. 1t has taken three
years to bring the reserves of the
United States up to their present
strength.
At banquet given the reserve army
at the New Willard Hotel last night
by Mr.. Gardner the reservists gave
their own opinions as to why the army
reserve, provided for by law, remains
today almost microscopic in size. Mr..
Gardner, who presided. made a brief
address of welcome and then proceed
ed to pay his respects to the present
administration. charging that it was
absolutely Indifferent to the need of
strengthening the defenses of the ma
tion.
Mr.. Gardner's Address.
He said. in part:
'December Is. 1914. before the COM
mittee on naval affairs, I made this
statement:
During the last three days we have
been having the truth and nothing but
the truth. and the truth in good plain
language. Capt Hobson WIS you to
get some more Of 1t, because the evil
dence given by Capt. Yates Stirling
and Assistant Secretary Franklin
has marked the beginning Of the end
Of the policy Of soporific silence.
bradley Fiske talked to you yester-
day. and I admire his courage. ad-
miro the courage Of Franklin Roose-
welt, and I admire the courage OF
Yates Stirling. and admire the cour-
age Of Secretary Garrison. All hope
is that they have not interfered with
their own prospects.
admiral Bradley Fiske has paid the
ness, and now mark the others as they
follow him down the plank.
yates Stirling is likely to be the
next He is the man who called the
attention Of the department to the rot
ten condition of the submarine fiotills
of the Atlantic fleet. He is the mar
who testified that out of twelve sub
marines under his command, outside
Of the Canal Zone. only one could take
part in the maneuvers when the order
came to mobilize last November.
Commander Stirling Rebuked.
Il state it as a fact that on Decem.
Der 9, 1914, Josephus Daniels, Secre
tary OF the Navy. administered sting
| ing rebuke to Commander Stirling be-
| cause he called the attention of thu
Navy Department to the neglected
policy adopted toward the submarine
| flotilla, and / challenge the said Jo
| sephus Daniels to publish the letter.
| The sinking of the F-4 is q grue
| some comment on Secretary Daniels
| policy Of peaceful persuasion and pre-
tense of preparedness. The loss of lif'
on the F-4 is due to Secretary Daniels
| neglect of our submarines. although
dare say that an inquiry will revea
to his satisfaction the fact that 1t wal
| attributable to the neglect Of SOM
| drunken officer.
| II see by the press that hencefortf
| visers Admiral Blue and Capt. Winter
halter Judging by their testimony wher
| he sent them before the naval affair.
| committee this year. they are already O
his opinion as to naval matters.
Example Of Commander-in-Chief.
"After all. why should we blame Sec
retary Daniels for following the exampl,
which is set him by the commander-in
chief When the Rev. Wackford Squeers
headmaster Of Dotheboys Hall. belaboret
Smike. Master Squeers followed suit
have awaited this occasion to reveal ar
but owing to the reticence of all concerned
| 1t has never been told until this minute
About a year ago. in the minds of many
people, there was serious danger Of in.
| ternational trouble In the Pacific ocean.
'At that time a joint board com
posed Of the highest army officers ant
| the highest navy officers was in exist
ence. 1t met together to consider
what ought to be done in an emer-
gency. The members of the board went
| before the President with a recon-
mendation that certain precaution.
| should Immediately be taken. The
| President gasped with anger at the ef-
| frontery of these distinguished officerl
and peremptorily forbade the board t.
meet again. II this statement of min,
| Is denied, I challenge the President Il
permit a public investigation"
Talks by Reservists.
| Mr.. Gardner called upon each mem
Der Of the reserve army present for G
| speech, asking them to state what HI
considered the trouble which was re.
sponsible for the failure of soldier
leaving the army to enlist in the re-
serve. Tho talks by the reservists de-
veloped the following reasons:
| !. The army reserve Is not greater
because the fact that there IL q reserve
| is not advertised. Ninety per cent o.
| the men who are former soldiers ant
who would be qualified for enlistment
| in tho reserves have never heard tina,
such an organization exists.
are a handicap to men seeking EN-
ployment in civil life. 1t was in
] lezrsd thai thu Ex-solaisEA did No