Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-06-16
Principal Addresses Delivered
by Former Secretaries
Wright and Won /. Meyer
on Lack Of Preparation.
SOLEMN WARNINGS TO
PEOPLE OF AMERICA.
Country Is MenaCed by Grave.
Dangers and Nothing Has.
Been Done to Meet PoSSbIe|
Emergencies,
10Y MOANING IouasAl srrol.l lr.srp war,

ICY MORNING JouRsAL SPECIAL LEASED wIEul
New York, June ia resolution
introduced by Mayor Curlcy of Bos-
ton. appealing to President Wilson to
call the attention of congress 20 "the
pressing need of prompt and efficient
action" with regard TO the national
defense was unanimously adopted to-
day by the delegates to the peace and
preparedness conference of the Ma
tiOnal Security league.
The resolution was adopted at an
executive session following luncheon
IN on uptown hotel, which more than
q thousand persons attended. The
speakers were George Won l.. Meyer,
former secretary of the navy; Luke E
Wright former secretary of war: Ma
jor George Haven Putnam and Fred
erick II. Coudert Mr.. Wright said in
part:
Luke Wright Speaks.
I'VE have seen the we'll established
rules of international law, as applied
20 blockades and the rights of neutrals
disregarded by two of the great bell
hgerent powers. 1t behooves us, the
men and women of America, to see if
this bloody tragedy. which is being
played before our eyes, does not carry
with 1t some lesson to us
One OF lnOSe lessons is that
treaties, however solemn. in the stress
of angry passion or selfish interests,
may be torn to shreds and thrown in
the waste basket Another one is that
the rights of neutrals are not always
carefully regarded by angry belliger-
ents, and the third, the most impor-
tant 10 us, is that If a nation can hope
TO escape from danger to Its prosper
ity. or to its very existence. Il must
be by preparation aldrby reliance
upon its preparedness, rather than
upon treaties, ana written papers of
any sort.
England In Same Boat.
I'VE see today evidences of. if not
we see today evidences. if not
of trouble growing out of the remon-
STRANGE of the violation of our rights
as q neutral nation and | am not re-
ferring alone to Germany, because
England is in the same boat The
English orders in council are Just !
as Objectionable from neutral stand
point as is the sinking of belligerents' |
ships with neutrals on board, without /
giving them a chance to escape, The |
Underlying principle is the same. our |
president is dealing with this delicate /
situation in q mastery way and with l
out further referring to this matter, !
we are well content to leave 1t in his |
hands, knowing that he will deal with /
the subject, with courtesy, with firm
ness and we believe with very satis-
factory results.
They say the Lord takes care of |
drunken men and sailors. | some-
times think the United States of
America ought to be added TO the list |
of those who are under His special
guidance.
Il believe we ought to have a reg
ular army, adequate to make a first
line and to give us a breathing spell
within which to organize out of our
magnificent raw material an army
which would be sufficient"
Navy Il Deteriorating.
George Won l.. Meyer, who was sec-
retary of the navy in President Taft's
cabinet addressing the Peace and
Preparation Conference of the Nation
al Security league at luncheon today
asserted that the American navy is
deteriorating, outlined the respects in
which he believed such to be the case
and urged that investigation of the
national defense and comprehensive
plan for the future should be made
obligatory upon the next congress.
Lack of battle-cruisers, airships,
armed aeroplanes and men, lack of a
naval reserve of experienced men,
lack of general public knowledge of
the riavy's condition. reduction of
COMPLIMENTS of some ships to man
other and newer ships and general un-
preparedness on the part of many bat
tleships and other fighting units We're
enumerated as instances of naval in :
feriority. Mr.. Meyer said in part:
BattIeships Not Fit.
"Of the thirty three battleships we
have only twenty-one that are fitted ,
for service without long delay Fur
thermore, we have about seventy mis- |
ceilaneous fighting ships not prepared (
We lack battle-cruisers, airships {
and armed aeroplanes e
our submarines are in a crippled +
:
The complement of all torpedo de- y
stroyers has been reduced from fif- c
teen to twenty-five per cent to get Y
men to commission new boats This r
reduction in personnel is serious
handicap, reduces the efficiency of $
the destroyers affects contentment
and prevents the boat being kept in
good condition.
The Atlantic fleet alone needs I
a,00O more men. +
The reserve fleet at Philadelphia S
was largely depleted in order to get I
a crew for the Alabama when she was II
ordered to Hampton Roads to enforce s
neutrality. t
Review Mere Parade. {
The review in New York this year
was a Door imitation ~ nravfouc rp-