Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-31

VIM Inv 0hAPAVy0Nb % NhU
and forget every difference that may
have divided them.
And what ought they to do2 Well, in
the first place. they ought TO tell the
truth. There have been some eNtraordi-
nary eNaggeratons both of the military
weakness and the military strength Of
this country. Some men tell you that
we have no means of defense, and
others tell you that we have sufficient
means OF defense, and neither statement
is true.
Take. for example the matter Of our
coast dcfonscs Il is obvious to every
man that they are of the most vital inn
portance to the country. such coast de-
fenscs as we have are strong and adj
mirablc but we have not got coast de-
lenses in enough places. Their quality
is admirable but their quantity is Insult
ficient The military officers OF the
country have not been negligent, they
have sought adequate APPROPRIATIONS
from congress and in most instances
have obtained them SO far as we saw
the work in hand that it was necessary
to do And the work that they nave
done In the use of these appropriations
has been admirable and skilfun work
DO not let anybody deceive you into sup
posing that the army OF the United
states. so far as it has had opportunity
Is in any degree unworthy of your con-
iidencc.
The American Navy.
And the navy of the United States
! You have been told that it is the second
in strength in the world. I am sorry 10
say that experts do not agree with those
who tell you that. Reckoning by It's ac-
.ulal strength, 1 believe it to be one Oh
the most efficient navies in the world
but its strength ranks fourth not sec
! ord And YOU must reckon with the fact
! that II is necessary that that should be
! orr first arm of defense, and you ought
! TO insist that everything should be cone
/ that it is possible for us to do 10 prihs
/ the navy UP to an adequate standard oil
strength and efficiency.
..ybere we are lacking more, perhaps
/ Is on land and in the number OF men
/ Who are ready TO fight. Not the NUMBER
of fighting men. but the number Oh men
who are ready to fight. Some men are
horn troublesome, some men have trouble
thrust upon them and other men acquire
trouble.
81 think l belong to the second class.
! r,ut, tho characteristic desire of America
Is not, that we should have great BODY OF
men whose chief business is to fight
hut a great body of men who know how
IN fight and are ready TO fight when
ANYTHING that is dear TO the nation is
threatened. You might have what we
have. millions OF men who had never
handled arms of war. who are mere ma
terial for shot end powder II you put
them in the field. and America would be
ashamed of the inefficiency OF calling
such men to defend the nation
want Volunteers In Traininga
What we want is to associate in train
ing with the army of the United States
men who will volunteer for sufficient
length Of time every year to get the rudl-
mentary acquaintance with arms the
documentary skill in handling Them the
rudimentary acquaintance with camp hfe'
the rudimentary acquaintance with mill
tary drill and discipline. and we ought to
see to it that we have men of that sort
in sufficient number to constitute an
initial army when we need an army for
the defense Of the country.
''I have heard it stated that there are
probably several million men in this coun-
try who have received a sufficient
amount of military drill either here or in
the countries in which they were born
and from which they have come to US.
Perhaps there are: nobody knows be-
cause there is no means of counting them,
but IL there are so many, they are not
Obliged 10 come at our call. We do not
know who they are. That is not military
preparation. Military preparation con-
sists in the existence of such a body of
men known to the federal authorities, or
ganized Professionally by the federal au-
thorities and subject by their own choice
and win to the immediate call OF the fed
eral authority
variety of Discipline.
I'VE have no such body OF men in the
United States except the National Guard
Now, l have very great respect for the
National Guard. / have been associated
with one section of that guard in one OF
the great states Of the union, and know
the character OF the officers and the
quality of the men, and | would trust
them both for skill and efficiency; but
the whole National Guard Of the United
; States falls short OF 10000 men. II is
characterized by a very great variety
of discipline and efficiency as between
state and state and it Is by the constitu-
ton itself put under the authority OF
more than two score state executives
The president of the United States has
not the right TO cali on these men except
in the case of actual invasion. And
therefore. no matter how skillful they
I are, no matter how ready they are, they
are not the instruments for immediate
o national use.
: Il believe that the congress Of the
: United States ought to do. and that II
will do. a great deaf more for the national
: guard than it ever has done. and every
y thing ought to be done TO make a model
e military arm. but that Is not the arm
$ that We are interested in We are inter
e ested in knowing that there are men all
( over the United states prepared. equipped
( and ready to go out at the call OF the
e national government upon the shortest
r possible notice. You win ask me. why
e do YOU say the shortest possible notice
s Because. gentlemen. let me tell you yery