New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-25
The Hay-Wilson "Victory."

is 10 a certain extent n victory for Mr.
Hay and his policies Of anu-preparedness'
But IL is the sort Of victory that in ITS
moral effect is hardly distinguishable from
defeat.
Mr.. Hay had the pacifsts in the House
with him TO a man. "The Evening Post
for instance, which praised Mr.. Wilson Tor
lofty courage in December, 1914, when ne
sneercd Mt the popular demand for mill
tary preparation and said that that de-
mand came only from those who were
nervous and excited" and which con-
demned Mr.. Wilson for surrendering to
political expediency in December, 1919
when he veered around and told the coun'
try that some sort Of military preparation
WAS indispensable, has given its hearty
suuport 10 the Hay bill. So has Mr.
Bryan's personal following in the House
Of Representatives headed by that emil
nent champion of peace at any price inc
Hon. Warren Worth Bailey, of Pennsyl-
vania. The Little Army and Little Navy
qroups have stood with Mr.. Hay because
thew know that he is at heart IN sym
nathv with them and is fighting their
battle.
Furthermore. Mr. Hays anti-prcpared-
ness scheme was adroitly advertised as
having President Wilson's complete IN
dorsement at is his 1.-THE President'sJ
b;lln the chairman of the Military Affairs
Committee told the House; 1T carries out
the recommendation he made TO Congress
in his message" Nobody else. speaking
Cor the President, challenged that asscr-
ton. Thus an appeal was made 10 the
party loyalty of Democratic members ana
tina. appeal kept the delegations from the
Southern States almost solidly in line. Only
one Southern Democrat, Mr.. Montague, OF
Virginia. voted for the Kahn amendment
increasing the enlisted strength OF the
regular army to 100000, thus providing
something like a real nucleus for real
army.
Mr.. Hay had good reason for claiming
Mr.. Wilson as a joint author Of the House
committees sham army reorganization
bill. Did the Virginia leader not carry
Secretary Garrison's scalp dangling at ms
belt? He had entered upon contest with
Mr.. Garrison for the privilege Of control
ling and shaping the Administration
army reorganization programme. lie had
won. and Mr.. Garrison had been forced
out of Office. The President had yielded
to him and thrown overheard the Cont
mental army scheme-the only really con
structive feature of the plan which Mr.
Garrison had drawn and which the Presi-
dent had approved without qualification
in his message to Congress Of December
last
The acceptance by the House Of the
meagre increases in the regular establish
ment favored by the President, Mr.. Hay
and Mr.. Garrison alike, coupled with the re-
lection of the Garrison Continental army
nlap and the substitution therefor OF
"federalized" national guard, was unde-
niably technical victory for Mr.. Hay and
Mr.. Wilson. But it was a victory with ut
tie glory. The Kahn amendment lncreas-
ing the strength Of the enlisted force TO
100000 instead Of 100000, was defeated
bv only twenty-five votes. change or
twelve votes would nave wrosted control
from Mr.. Wilson and Mr.. Hay and com
mitted the House TO a policy OF real IN
stead Of merely Pickwickian preparedness
The wrecking Of the Hay bill was prevent
ed. in fact, only by the votes Of thirty-four
Republicans. who put their own parochial,
paciist prejudiccs above the interests and
safety Of the nation.
There are Republicans as we'll as Demo
Gratis IN the inland states Of the Missls-
sippi Valley who cannot visualize the trag-
edv Of an occupation by hostile forces OF
any Of our seaboard or Mexican border
territory. They remain calm at such
prospect. As one OF their spokesman re-
Gently suggested, the people of the Allan
tic Coast or Of the Pacific Coast would
simply have 20 move west over the Ale
ghanies or east over the Rocky Mountains
70 escape an invader. From the remote
ness OF Lincoln, Ncb., or Newcastle, Wyo.
IL il easy enough 20 talk Of the security
which the United States enjoys because Of
It's geographical isolation. To most Of
these statesmen the United States proper
stretches only from Pittsburgh 20 Denver
and Cheyenne.
IL is perhaps useless 20 expect broader
vision and a higher sense of national unity
from the Republican Representatives from
Kansas, Nebraska. Iowa, Minnesota. Wis
consin, the Dakotas. Colorado and Wyom-
ing who voted against the Kahn amend
ment. They are Little Americans, blind N
any interests but those OF their own sec
ton.
But a greater breadth Of mind is 20 be
expected Of Representatives from the Mid
die Western States Of more yarieRated in
tcreSs, like Ohio and Illinois. These in
dustrial commonwealth have almost as big
a stake in national defence as the seaboard
slstAs thsm6elyos have. Yet Illinois con-