The Washington times., 1916-02-08
SPEAKER Leaves Chair to Make
Plea For Preparedness As
Debate Wages.
TWO MINOR BILLS PASSED
SmaII-Navy Men Remain Silent
and Measures Get Unani-
nous Support.

Two national defense bills. playing a
minor part in the general program of
preparedness. were sent to the Senate
by the House today after the lower
body had given a demonstration I'm IA
vor of making the nation ready for
possible enemy
Both bills passed the House late yes
,erday. Although they are of rela-
lively small Importance, compared with
measures soon to be considered. the
mere consideration of a defense bali
brought non pa rtisan support for the
entire program. and patriotic oratory
was on tap all day
The small navy" men, for some un-
explained reason. were inactive through
out the day of debate. and refused to
vote on the final bill passed that in
treasing the number of midsh pmen at
the Naval Academy. This bill passed
on a rising vote. and when the noes
were called for the anti-preparedncss
members kept their seats.
Viva Vocc Vote.
The other bill. authorizing the con-
struction of building ways at the Brook
lyn and Mare Island navy yards. which
are getting ready to turn out two new
dreadnaughts authorized last session.
passed on a viva voCe vote
Significant in the days development
was the aid rendered the defense pro-
gram by Speaker Clark. The SPEAKER
eft the chair and participated several
times in colloquies on the floor.
Late yesterday lie II ade prepared
hess speech and announced this bill
ought to be passed Without dissenting
vote" The ringing address of the
speaker may have been partly respons-
ible for tn" passive attitude of the
'Sriall navy" men. The latter private
~ claimed how ever, that the mi1shiD-
men and navy yard measures bore but
indirectly on def"usc and were rot SUI
ment that would DC indicative of the
strength of the preparedness and anti
preparedness factions.
That Speaker Clark will lead the
Iht for tho Administro tons defens"
bill Ia generally believed today. Ills IN
terest In the debate Yesterday and mis-
. statement that he Is soon to make n
speech covering til" entire subject OF
national defansc leads to- tho conviction
that the Administration will have a
strong ally in the SPEAKER when the
test comes.
let us put sevcnteen-inch guns. the
very best attainable. or cIr SHIPS. was
suggestion made by Speaker CLARK
which was characteristic of his interest
in defense. This aGVicc came when
Congressman Butler sad England and
Germany were preparing to use seven
teen-incjl guns.
Former Speaker Cannon said IL an
emergency existed he stood ready to
help furnish the money by my vote,
either by an increase of taxation or by
borrowing the money" He said. how
ever. that the people desired to know
whether the program called for actual
preparation or good enough Morgan"
for the next six months.
After Mr. Butler had criticised the
delay In making plans for hattleships.
Speaker Clark said Congress should
ascertain the best type of battleship.
and then pass a resolution that all
tho rest Of the ships are to be built on
that model and shorten up this process
by six months"
The Speaker referred to his prepared
ness speech in San Francisco last July,
and announced that he would soon
make known to the House his views re-
Earding just what sort of program
should be adopted.
Should Pass Bills.
"Meanwhile," he said. I'VE should
pass such bills as this proposing to in
crease the number of midshipmen. No
body can OBJECT to them on the ground
that they are very expensive.
Il do not believe we will have any
war, If We attend to our own business.
as we have forced every war we ever
did have. but If We do have a war
what We will need more than anything
else will be officers. l have no doubt
that at least %, 900 men. the very flower
Of the country. died the first year OF
the civil war, not by bullets, but by dis
ease-which was unnecessary.
in general way they did not know
anything about sanitation or how to
take care OF themselves and their
men. I would double not only the
number Of mirshipmen at Annapolis.
hut also the cadets at West Point.
Even though we never have an
ether war. the money spent on edu-
eating these CaGets is not tn cown
away. They get a practical educa-
tion. II I had the ingenuity and It
could be done. I would draft law
that outside Of ;he cadets appointed
by the President and members OF
States with the mental. Inorsl. and
physical qualifications should be per-
Initted to go to these institutions and
Gct an education at exact cost.
Would Furnish Teachers.
II these bills pass 1 am in favor Of
making 1t obligatory upon. not OPP
tlonal with. the Secretary of War
and the Secretary of the Navy to de-
tail one Of these officers. ii we have
surplus. to any school. college. or
university that vii, furnish mini
mum Of ..0C boys willing to drill"
Speaker Clark said he favored an
articulation OF the military schools
der an arrangement whereby the
ECn nor students from the military
schools would be engaged in the War
department and giver commissions =
whenever Il necessity for more Off
r"rs arose lin preference to commits
siOns for every Tom. Dick and Harry
from all over the country who can
make a good stump speech"
Speaker Clark said he believed a
shorter term of enlistment in the
army would he advantageous. Ono
hundred thousand men, he said, wouli
be turned back into the body OF the
Clti2enry as trained soldiers II the
enlistment were for ono year.