The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1916-03-14
EDITORS OF THE COUNTRY
FAVOR PREPAREDNESS

The Literary Digest of March IL ION
tains an interesting article entitled,
"Nation-Wide Press-Poll on Size of
the Army and Navy" The journal
made inquiry of 500 editors in every
state of the Union on three points:
First, how large an army we should
have; secondly, how large a navy; and
finally, whether there is reason to fear
the peril of militarism in increasing
both branches of our defense. The re-
plies are impartially recorded, and, so
that they may be the more intelligibly
considered, are cast into the five geo
graphical sections of the Atlantic Sea
board, the Gulf Region, the East Mis-
sissippi Valley, the West Mississippi
Valley, and the Rocky Mountain and
Pacific Coast states. The vote as a
whole across the country shows the av-
erage estimate for the regular army
to be 2S5,O7S and for the reserve
1,215,35s. As to the navy, 40 per cent
of the replies on this point favor a
navy second only to Great Britain's,
while 60 per cent favor a navy as
large as any in the world.
The Reno Nevada State Journal
sees no peril of miitarism, and
thinks that as the United States
is preparing for defense and not
for aggression, the nation chief
reliance must be its navy. Yet a
fully equipped army of a million
men, that could be called quickly to
the colors, is none too large for
this people. About a quarter of
this number, as a nucleus around
which to form a powerful defens-
i've and offensive force, would be
sufficient as a standing army. In
addition. some method should be
devised for training all able-bodied
youths in the use of arms under
conditions of actual warfare. This
journal holds that the European
war has proved the submarine the
most deadly weapon at sea today,
and claims that with a sufficient
number of submarines available,
no enemy fleet of battleships and
transports could reach our shores.
We should have 200 such subma-
rines, and dreadnaughts and bat
tie cruisers enough to convey our
transports in safety, should it be
necessary to send troops to meet
an enemy outside the borders of
the United States, or to deal with
an enemy fleet that might succeed
in eluding the submarine lines of
defense.
That more attention should be
paid to the navy than to the ar
nv, moreover, is the view of the
Elko Free Press, which notes that
it has been demonstrated in the
present war that with any sort of
land protection it is impossible for
armed vessels to make a landing
and capture a position, and al
though this journal appreciates
that we need a larger standing ar
m " than we have, it does not favor
"the proposals of the militar-
ists," whose claims are that
81, 100000 or 100000 armed men
are necessary to keep peace 1t
would enlarge our military schools
so that if occasion arises the men
trained in them could take charge
of volunteer companies. Just be-
cause there is danger of militar-
ism says this journal, the in
crease in our navy and army
"should be made very slowly and
the size of both kept down to the
very lowest possible point" But
the Winnemucea Silver State,
which advocates an army large
enough to repel invasion, and a
navy the most efficient of any in
the world, says: CATER the pres
emit European war has been set
tied, the United States win be
forced to either disavow the Mon
roe doctrine or fight. 1t can not
pursue its Mexican policy Of
"watchful waitingo further"