The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-26
MERCHANTS 1870 TO
FOR PREPAREDNESS
Business Men Vote for Big
Army and Navy and Uni
versal Training.
WILLING TO PAY BILLS

WASHINGTON. May 25.-Business men
want preparedness. They ave voted for
1t In a referendum Of the Chamber Of
Commerce Of the United States. A ma
Jority Of Ic0 TO I was recorded. Those
who have a definite stake in the country
and must bear a large share OF the
burden Of paying the bill for national
defence have come out squarely for A
comprehensive scheme involving the en-
tire military. industrial and financial re.
sources OF the nation.
There has been propaganda Of all sorts
for preparedness and non-preparcdness.
including straw votes. newspaper cam
paisns and the circulation OF pamphlets
and statistics. This. however. Is thought
20 be the most thorough and completes
nor yet made to ascertain country
wide sentiment on a question 90 promi-
nently before the people and Congress.
According to the vote cast II lie now
laid TO be known exactly where the
business men OF the country stand on the
general question OF preparedness and
also what their views are for an adc-
puate army. a largely increased navy. a
t~horoughgoing industrial preparedness
and the basis on which all these features
must ~rest-universal military training.
07O Votes for Desrnce.
The referendum on national defence is
OF further interest because II has brought
nut H. vuAa ,-tx A,.. 100000. 49,.
the commercial organizations which
make up the Chamber OF Commerce OF
the United States. The heaviest voting
vas on the general preparedness recon-
mendation and resulted in go in favor
As against s opposed. a proportion of
100 to /.
The lowest vote was on universal
military training. $50 in favor and Sc
opposed but even here the proportion
was more than 10 to /. Forty-three
States were represented, the District of
Columbia. Alaska. Hawaii. the Philip
pines and the American Chamber OF
Commerce in Paris. France. Many plans
have been advanced having to do with
the army n navy. but 1t Is said
that heretofore there has been no Sc
rious attempt to look on prepared
ness for nationa defence as a ma
tionwid problem. which could only he
solved by mobilizing the entire re-
sources Of the country. both lctua and
potential. The referendum was based
upon the report of n special committee
OF which Bascom Little. recently prssi-
dent Of the Cleveland Chamber OF Com.
merce. is chairman.
The success of any general scheme Of
national defence. according to the ref.
Afendum to uhi.'i the ,ihanlhcr 81 Com
merce Of the United states IL nov COM
United. can only be realized under a
's.stem of universal military training
BiIl OH~red In senate.
Senator Chamberlain has II bill in Con-
eress to provide for sucn a system. bur
~ has not Yet been introduced in the
House. Nothing in the army bill which
has just heen passed by Congress pro-
> Sides for any measure of universal train
: Ing whateve-.
: II is nevertheless the belief Of the com.
mitfee OF the national chamber tina. tire
duties of every citizen. great or small,
" mus, be definite and that there can he
mo military organization in n great
democracy which would be either de
eirable or safe much less adequate. un-
= less 1t laid down for al. time the rr;n-
ciple that qua rights mean equal obi
cations and that every citizen must not
;Honly be willing hut also able and pre-
pared to defend his oount",
o.. Whereas the essential uues. ion ore.
1sented to tn" business organizations Of
the country was 10 rat!fv pr reject a
general plan of national defence, Elliot
II. Goodwin. the secretary % the ma
Iona NJ a DO -H-N-.--I