The Washington times., 1916-04-11
congressman Says Congress
| Not Wholly to Blame for
/ Army and Navy.
DIDN'T KNOW REAL FACTS;
Nserts Previous Secretaries
@HoodwInked" People When
Conditions For II Were Good.

IF there had never been any such a
thing a. the pork barrel the attitude OF
Congress would have been exactly the
Same toward the navy.
'The carping traducer who sneers at
the small navy Congressman Ia the exoct
counterpart Of the ghouiish traducer
who assigns corrupt ideas to the organ
ixation and reason for maintenance Of
the Navy League.
EVERY Congressman who 10 worth his
salt is q self appointed watch dog OF the
Treasury.
"It is an ancient and hoary maxim of
legislative bodies never to do today what
yeu can put on until tomorrow.
1T 10 more comfortable not to see
the truth.
with the annual report of the Sec
retary OF the Navy for 1914 telling US
that the navy was In tirst-class eondi-
ton, and the President or the United
States gathering the two houses of Con-
gress together In December. 1914, to tell
them there was no need to take steps
to put our military establishment in
order, what could the Congressman
dor
Views of Gardner.
With these and other statements OF q
like nature made In his most emphatic
manner, Congressman Augustus p.
Gardner OF Massachusetts made an ex-
tended arraignment OF the attitude OF
me on mn "r,On "a % 49, np,eps e ~.
nr,,on., cony.n,,or ., tha Nayv
LeaSiie Mt Inc New willard Hotel 10.
day.
Congressman Gardner was the last
speaker AZ the morning session. oeming
iIUn S .ne SapiS9i sspeeiaLy 70 nake ms
tnet Consres didnt Know anything
ABOUT tne navy or me army. either:
10 because every member OF Con-
Eress - watcn dog OF the treasury
st,onai me oJraen sa,.np 0r proof as 70 tne state
edmirals and generals who appear be-
iore our committees" Mr.. Gardner
DECLARED.
lacking. very often. in these armirais
and generals as witnesses.
They are afraid they will be accused
of overestmating the urgency Of what
they are talking about. In the present
called extremists. The admirals and
generals have not learned to Erow two
thicknesseas of hide where one xrew
as the members Of Congress have.
cate An Increase in TIE armv hey ~ SuVU mavv
aNv.1Afhina x.,hloA ,.,ItI k.t.. 49,
crease in rank or emoiuments. IL they
make an expensive proposal they fear
VIII oe embarrassing to their chiefs.
Not Wholly to Blame.
But how can YOU blame ConRr.s,-
you yourselves didn't know in Deeem-
Der. 1914 that wa had .Iouoh.d otv 80.
second r,sne rs =. sousnea % on from
- gu was uoup'iui IL VIC
s"Hu OF tovItn IN the naval pro-
cession, l was told that In spring target
prscuce-a great writer wrote this, as
PSI cent OF hitS, when. as q matter Of
taSI IL old not make per cent OF hits.
.,aoW was Congress to know N
secretary Daniels Is not the first
secretary OF the Navy who has failed
20 enlighten tho American people as to
tne true condition OF the Amer lean
naNy. ne is having a Very unpleasant
eexpeEience wihlc other Secretaries jf
resron 10 plain enough.
Ihe other Secretaries of the Navy
nooowpked the people when the people
"1y .r,, IA .ne MOOD TO be hoodwinked.
wilked himself and then painted for US
Q oeiectapie picture at the very time
when We wanted unvarnished facts.
IhSt why Daniels exasperates us
wnne MS predecessors only ticEled our
VANITY.
Trihut. fo. Ow;.
ioi onicers.
M Saroner paid an eloquent tribute
TO Admiral Fiske. Commander Yates
SattrI,nS .na A..t.....F s..
49,, u ne'soaht secreIary OF the
nhh rooseVeit TOT the way
IN wnich they had brought the facts
or the naVy's condition before the peo-
Die.
Perry Belmont. of Now yorr nro-
sided over the second DAYS sess,onp oy
the league convention, and made a brief
speech. He declared that II is upfa1r
or OF cSngress Ha;s. 10 thrust upon the nation
for preparedness without a council Of
defense, From among the many plans
,hs ,ha' nay. nave peen presented re putting
are three f,indamentsI stens that rn1re r,91s
be taken. Mr.. Belmont said.
The mobilization of industries the
establishment Cf a council of defense
and the provision of financial means TO
carry out program OF adequate de-
tense are these feature, he declared.
The last named could he accumulated
ny permitting the issuance Of national
QeIenSe DOnOB In amounts low nS 20