Omaha daily bee., 1916-08-11
In Minneapolis Speech Mr.. Hughes
Strengthens Out Secretary Redfeld

and no devout and strong organiza-
ton man in the republican party who
hold to the great ideals of the honor
and prosperity and efficiency of this
nation, who cannot with good con-
science support my candidacy.
1--WE have come from many lands
Here in the northwest we know that
Americanism is thing Of the spirit
and not OF the flesh. Wherever a
man is born, if he is a naturalized
American citizen OF the United States
he is heartily an American citizen
with American ideals; with Amer
lean hopes, ready to give, live and
die for the United States.
For American Sentiment.
~ desire to see reinforcement OF
the American sentiment in that con-
sciousness OF unity which displaces
all possibility of division. We must
have that inner feeling OF intense
LOYALTY. What is there to divide usf
1--WE are a united people and only
through that dominant sense OF unity
and Of loyalty can we find the force
to cope with the problems Of the
twentieth century. :,
There was no excuse for permit
ting our regular army to remain at so
low a point that it could not perform
military duty without summoning
men unprepared for service from the
length and breadth Of the land. This
Is not a spectacle Of a prepared ma
ton. That is a condition for which !
hold the administration responsible.
Consider for moment the facts:
II was only about a year and halt
ago that certain patriotic citizens
were directing attention to the need
of preparedness, to the need OF the
enlargement OF our regular army, and
the president OF the United States
formally expressed his opinion that
such persons were nervous, excited,
that there was no real occasion for
alarm; that there were no conditions
which made it matter to be consid-
cred as a real exigency.
Torch Of Another Leader.
"Then there came the torch Of an
other leader. What a change in SEN
timent was wrought over night in
the councils of the administration;
that was feeling that an exigency
did exist and that something should
be done; that it was no longer nerv-
business, but prudence, caution and
foresight which required immediate
action.
There was an able secretary Of
war, and he devoted himself with as
tuteness to the problem and he
worked out a plan. He thought he
had pinned the administration so that
it would stay put. l don't believe you
could pin the administration to any
policy that would stay put.
well, the matter got so bad that
it was presented to congress. Only
few months ago it was formally
stated that our present demand
called for this forthwith: Raising the
regular army from its total on paper
although it was in fact somewhat
less-of about 10000 to 1900 and
citizen reserve OF 100000 trained by
federal authority in the annual in
stallments OF l35,UUU each.
Did Not Stay Put.
THAT was to be regarded as essen
tial. Now, how long did that stay put?
Why, within a short time the plan
was abandoned; the secretary of war
resigned, and in his correspondence
with the president he practically
pointed out what he regarded as the
inexcusable abandonment-I don't
use the exact words, but this was the
substance of it-of program deemed
to be necessary.
"Now, why was it abandoned? We
have had a great deal Of talk about
executive leadership, not conspicuous
then, when American preparedness
was in issue. Why was it necessary
to go through the land dealing with
the subject when congress had its
mind open to know the executive
will?
On the contrary. there was what
! regard as backdown; change OF
front. 1t had always seemed to me
most regrettable that it was a change
OF front under a conception of par
tisan expediency. We had as a result
something which is fraught with
much mystery.
"In the first place, under the army
reorganization bill we have a paper
army Of $4,000, but an actual army
for the fiscal year ending June 50,
1917, of about 10000 and about Is.
900 more in the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1918. We have, then, to rely
upon the National Guard.
For the boys who have gone for
ward uncomplainingly to the duty to
which they were called and haue heet,