New-York tribune., 1916-07-31
In the Balance.

vo.es on the Senate's amendments the
Little Navy" men in the House of Rep
resentatives merely followed a cautious
precedent. Mr.. Hay found it eXpedient to
take the same course when the army re-
organization bill came back from the Sen
ate in May last amended so as TO assure
the creation of a real army. Mr. Hay had
the votes to smash the Senate's bill-to re-
duce the increase in the regular estaoiish-
ment TO futile minimum, to throw over
hoard the continental army and to ANAL
can,ate the state Guards with our under
sized regular forces as a first fghting
line. He produced these votes and killed
all hone of a rational military reorgani-
zation as soon as he got tired toying with
the issue in conference. He held the
House under his thumb so long as ne
could say without contradiction; i nave
tho Presidents unconditional backing; the
Hay scheme is his scheme"
II does not follow that Mr. Padgett, the
head Of the Naval Affairs Committee, is
another Chairman Hay. He has con-
sistent Little Navy" record. Secretary
Daniels has always been a man Of his
type. They together have fought to keep
the navy down in unit power and IN gen
eral efficiency. 1t was Mr.. Padgett who
pulled the Secretary's chestnuts out or
the fire in the conference committee Of
1915. when a Senate amendment Favored
also by majority in the House) provid-
ing for something like navy General
staff was quietly string-halted.
Mr.. Padgett has opposed at this session
a,v ADEQUATE increase in the fleet or the
personnel. He and his friends hit on the
five battle-cruisers programme as
scheme through which to stand off all
other capital construction. 1t had the
support Of his particular middle-of-the-
road group in the Naval Affairs Commit
tee and Of the pacfst group. All Mr.
Padgett's natural inclinations would COM
NIT him to a head-on opposition to the
Senate's logical and broad-visioned build
ing programme.
Can he. however, play Mr.. Hays role
over again in the House? We doubt it.
Many things have happened since Mr..
Hav and Mr.. Wilson botched the army
reorganization law. The Virginia Repre-
sentative has found it prudent to forsake
legislative leadership and to seek the Sc
clusion of a sinecure on the Federal
bench. 1t is not so healthful in Washing
ton as it was three months ago for DEM
ocratic statesmen who are planning to
trip up measures Of national prepared
ness. Even Mr.. Daniels is dripping let
ters of congratulation nowadays to Rep
resentatives and Senators who have
snubbed his official recommendations and
turned down his building plans in favor
Of wiser and broader ones.
Having upheld Mr.. Hay and the House
on the army reorganization bungle, the
President is now upholding Mr.. Tilman
and the Senate on naval increases. And
Mr.. Daniels, it is announced, is also labor
ing 10 prove to Mr.. Padgett that the
country needs to-day a fleet and a per-
sonnel which only few months ago both
he and Mr.. Padgett would have gasped at
as beyond the bounds of reason and COM
prehension.
The House now owes it to itself to make
clear record on the main points of diff
ference between its bill and the Senate's
BILL Mr.. Hay recognized the necessity of
a showdown on the army reorganization
bill and interposed no technical OBJ
stacles TO rollcalls on each important item
IN dispute between the two houses. Mr..
Padgett should be equally open in his
methods. The country wants to have no
hugger-mugger committed on the pending
naval bill in the secrecy Of conference.
The Senate's draft is incomparably the
best naval bill which has ever passed
either branch of Congress. 1t meets the
needs of the situation, except on the
single point of giving the navy a real
General Staff or its equivalent. Apart
from that regrettable omission, it is be-
yond criticism. The House should accept
the Senate's amendments practically as
they stand. II must accept them, unless
il wishes to invite the charge of burking
the second great national defence measure
Of this session, Just as Mr.. Hay and his
followers burked the first one.
The country is waiting for the House to
act-and waiting hopefully. Is not Con
gress at least willing to give us the nu-
cleus of an adequate navy-our primary
arm Of defence-after defaulting in its