The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-01-06
AMERICAN DEFENSE
SOCIETY. BOARD MEETS
r. n. ssas EsuIiy TSrnc Testing Thnan
Al About How IL Mnss Ese Done
to preparc Country.
foI OBLIGATORY SERVICE
'qssassks we Ought 20 Hayc am srrny %
Two Million Men and tlot@ asosv Ia
Observation-Disclosures ~ No ReaI
Naiue.

I View York. Jan. 5.--colouel Thee
dore. Roosevelt had one OF the most
enjoyable afternoons Of his life today.
/ He lunched at the Hotel BIltmore
with the twenty-five other members
LOT the Advisory Board OF the Ameri.
Gan Defense Society, some rrlenda OF
( long standing and some newly made.
but every one OF them heartily In ac-
cord Win him "a TO just what details
Z or army and navy upbuilding should
Z constitute real American policy OF
adequate defense.
AS usual the colonel vas the domi-
mating, lmpelling influence at the
gathering the life of the party. with
mis- irrepressibie vitality and burnins
enthusiasm and knack Of stronh
speech. he gave the big shove to the
Defense Society's program--a program
mat Is To be put before the people by
liberal expenditure for publicity ana
ny all of the personal influence pos
SeSScd by the many prominent men
4 in the soclety's councils That pro-
igram, as outlined IN il resolution
I written by Henry Reuterdahl. the ma
rine artist and expert sin army and
navy service problems, rinKingiy en-
dorFed by the colonel md unanimously
adopted by the Advisory Board. was
presented as follows:
We must have a strong navy
I forty eight dreadnoughts and battle
Icruisers. The necessary number OF
scouts. tiestroyers and renguinR sub
marines should balance the capital
/ fleet also auxiliaries, golfers, repair
ships. tenders etc This navy should
( bc prepared Immediately
/ For Obligatory Training.
We must have standing army OF
/ goo, goo men and 45. 600 officers. back
ed by n national force of universal
obligatory, trained citizens In arms.
I This body should be Of no less strength
than 1000. 900 mon. fully equipped.
and with large reserve supply OF
artillery and ammunition.
/ This shall be Americas insurance
against war. against Invasion, against
a foreign nag over Washington
force of defense which makes tho
Monroe doctrine living fact And
this shall be the true measure of pre-
p, redness. Half measures arc useless
and wasted money
In support of this resolution. with
emphasis upon the necessity for oh
+ iigatory military training to produce
as rapidly AS possible "a thoroughly
trained citizen army Of 2.00o 600,
Colonel Roosevelt spoke unreservedly.
Others at the luncheon who backed
IN the colonel and agreed that Mr.
Reuterdahfs program was what the
country needed was Truman II. New
3 berry, eX-Secretary Of the Navy: Dir
David Jayne I'M. G, s, Thompson,
Gushing Stetson. j. F. Hubbard and
! George +. Sweeney
Put TAd on Publicity.
Luncheon was private. and except
for the news contained in the Reuter-
dahl resolution and few generalities
very little was supposed to be made
public. Philip J. Roosevelt. the colo
ners nephew. and others of the Ad-
visorv Board explained that secrecy
had been ordered because the meeting
was strictly business meeting. with
a discussion OF the amount Of money
in the society's treasury and informa-
ton as TO the exact source Of these
contributions
let 1t be strictly understood how
ever that not single cent of the
$40. 000 The society now has IN bank
has been contributed by an individual
or a concern connected with the man
Ufacture or sale Of munitions OF war,
said yenHg Mr. Roosevelt The fund
Is made up and viii be supported by
contributions from persons who be-
lieve. as we do. that the time has
come to stop shiily-shallylng about
defensive measures and 10 adopt a SEN
sihte ard patriotic program.
when the colonel. fairly Famping
with cheerfulpess came out of the
meeting he Was bombarded with uues-
tons as 60 ~Aat he had said !t4 hlR
speech supporting the resolution.
Boys" he said, II feel SIS Senator
PettiRFew ala when he said. I've just
got 10 be retitent about that speech
IN bet you my bottom dollar that none
Of "a gets published
Did 81 have any political stsuin
cance~-the meeting. that tsT"
rot course not How could have
with AN Of tbes men present. aud
the coIobcrS hand waved toward =
group of men representinK Republicans.
Democratic and Progressive opinion.
NO I can't say "a word about polittea.
No. not "a ord "a Is useless to auese
ton me boys M5 lips are sealed
where's nay hat THIS isn't tay hat,
ftn PHI Rooaevelrs hat las q per
fsctly proper ktnd OF hat but il iant
my hat This IL my ovexcoat because
In a pocket ts the Journal 81 tbs Unitaa
Service institute. He langhted hear
tiiy and made for the elevator
Despite the c0lonets retiCeuea and
Che apparent amwiilinan8ss af ghs
members OF the advisory beard 60 dis
close lust whAt was said ~ the pre-
pareanvss luncheon. what was vouehed
for by one VI the members ae @n &c.
curate summary Of hts @peeah wAa Oh