Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-10
OPPONENTS
OF DEFENSE
LEGISLATION
Continue Their Protests
Wednesday Before the
Military Committee

washington. Feb. Equipments of adj
,c;nstratiou plans for national defence
,oois,atjon concluded their day in court
,odsv before the House military commit
too and while not unanimous in their
o,nions as TO what should be done or
loft undone with regard to the army and
navy they all opposed any present change
in military policy.
REPRESENTATIVES of the Society OF
1,.rds and a score OF others spe'StnS
,,,4ar me auspices of the Wonen's Peace
p,r., discussed war and its causes and
,o,seo,lerecs from many angles. They
wore seldom interrupted by committee
gamblers except when the open minded
,acs Of congress on the subject OF pre-
r,rein.ss was assailed.
Some of Speakers
Among those who spoke were waiter
Fisher Of Chicago. former secretary "t
.l,s interior, oswald Garrison Willard OF
Aa X,w York Evening Post; the Rev.
i,hp Nrt'racken chancellor emeritus oil
~. I.njy,rsjtv Of New York; Samuel Il.
uon,ao3cry Of Nest Virginia, speaking
&c the representative Of the hlteu Mine
worE.rr, and several lraterAal organlZa-
.,e- Mrs. Florence Kelley of New YORK.
.9e,I.jnp for the Child Welfare Workers
n the country: Mrs. sara Bardheld OF
.rforria who said she represented the
ssn,,,,e.,t of the women voters OF west
avn .,atas. Frederic Howe New York
,.s,. iunrniprotion commissioner, and the
pey Frank Hall of New YORK, speaking
.r the clergy of all denominations oil
that city,
The views expressed ranged from SuS-
.os,,o,s mat Congress should await the
.o1ius,,n of the European war il order
f.. nroff hy the lessons it Nigh; teach, 70
declarations against a policy oil mih'"rE
wepareGneSS at any time or Tor any
,u-uosp 4 majority of the speakers,
even the women. disclaimed any sEmpa-
tav with peace at any price d"c'rii'e'
but Mr.. Willard prefaced his remarks
with the statement that under certain
.onditious he would wear that designa-
ion as n badge OF honor.
If i, means to believe" he SAID,
that there is no cause leading up 10
war whi.h cannot he composed anu
ediu,icatcd bv International tribunals
precisely as The quarrels of individ-
uals are vindicated, then | would ne
wiling tn have the stigma of a peace
at anv price man attached to me small
wear it as a Distinction
Fisher Brings Dissension
Mr. Fisher aroused the resentment
Of some members of the committee
when he declared that under general
order of the War department army OF
ncers had been gagged and the views
presented to the committee by staff
Ulcers did not reflect the opinions OF
many officers Of the line. He said sew
eral officers of his acquaintance hau
declared themselves opposed TO any
great military increase plan. put al
feared TO express their real views
because of the gag order. Representa-
live Kahn called attention to the
statement Of Secretary Garrison to the
committee that officers were free as
air" TO express their personal views.
For Mine Workers
Mr.. Montgomery said he spoke for
100000 mine workers who had declared
against preparedness in their conven-
lion. The great newspapers, he de-
CARED. were controlled by munltlon
makers and armor interests and the
opposition to their proposals was de-
MED hearing He added that labor
vas not opposed to the Natlonal
uuard in states where it was not con-
aolled by the employers and hlled
with gun and billy men" to tramp!e
On Lahor's rights.
Mr.. Willard urged that the army be
'eouced to the status Of national po-
lice it occupied in 1895. Adequate pre-
paFedness was a will-o'-the-w isp. he
sa'o and could not be obtained under
any plan proposed short of conscrlp-
ton.
Mrs Kelley said hundreds Of women
were receiving letters from the Daugh-
ets OF the American Revolution urging
|Iontinued on Pace 5-Column ~